Extending Italy's reign in the BJK Cup, the diligent Paolini continues their title defence
In a thrilling semi-final clash, Jasmine Paolini led Italy to a 2-0 victory over Ukraine, setting them up for a potential third consecutive Billie Jean King Cup final.
The second singles match of the day saw Elina Svitolina and Jasmine Paolini go head-to-head. The initial set went to Svitolina, with a commanding 6-3 scoreline, but Paolini showed her resilience in the following sets.
In the second set, Paolini broke Svitolina's serve twice to take a 4-2 lead. However, Svitolina responded, evening things up at 4-4. The set ultimately went to Paolini after she broke at the start of the tiebreak to clinch the set 7-5.
The third set was a battle of nerves, with both players holding their serves until Paolini broke to love to take a 3-1 lead. Svitolina fought back to level the score at 4-4, but Paolini responded with another break to love, converting her third match point to keep the semi-final tie in play.
Meanwhile, in the first singles match, Lyudmyla Kostyuk put Ukraine on the board with a near-flawless 6-2, 6-3 victory over Elisabetta Cocciaretto.
The decisive moment of the tie came in the doubles match, where Paolini and Sara Errani, the reigning Olympic gold medallists, faced Lyudmyla Kichenok and Marta Kostyuk. The Italian pair emerged victorious, winning 6-2, 6-3.
This victory marks Italy's third consecutive appearance in the BJK Cup final. They are the first nation to achieve this feat since Czechia from 2014 to 2016.
Paolini's performance in this match was particularly noteworthy. She played five sets across four hours to help seal the win for Italy. This is not the first time she has come back from a deficit in the tournament; she did the same against Wang Xinyu in the quarter-finals.
Italy will face either the United States or Great Britain in Sunday's final. The final of the Billie Jean King Cup 2025 will be between Italy and the USA, with players including Jasmine Paolini and Elisabetta Cocciaretto for Italy, and Jessica Pegula and Emma Navarro for the USA.
This promising result bodes well for Italy's chances of securing a third consecutive BJK Cup title. The nation will be eager to continue their impressive run and cement their place as one of the dominant forces in women's tennis.
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