Jasmine Paolini leads Italy to Billie Jean King Cup success in victory over Slovakia

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Jasmine Paolini led Italy to the Billie Jean King Cup title arsenic they hit Slovakia 2-0 successful the last successful Malaga.

Paolini swept past Rebecca Sramkova 6-2 6-1 to seal the triumph aft Lucia Bronzetti overcame Viktoria Hruncakova 6-2 6-4 successful the opening singles rubber.

It was Italy’s 5th occurrence successful the tourney and their first since 2013, erstwhile it was known arsenic the Fed Cup.

Slovakia were incapable to repetition their heroics against Great Britain 24 hours earlier, erstwhile they fell down aft Emma Raducanu hit Hruncakova but deed backmost to triumph 2-1.

Italy’s triumph capped an astonishing breakout twelvemonth for Paolini, who came from comparative obscurity to decorativeness runner-up astatine the French Open and Wimbledon.

The 28-year-old besides won Olympic golden for Italy successful the women’s doubles alongside Davis Cup team-mate Sara Errani.

Paolini and 37-year-old Errani had won the decisive doubles matches successful their victories complete Japan, successful the quarter-finals, and Poland successful the past four.

But the doubles rubber was not required aft Paolini’s singles victory, which sparked chaotic celebrations from the squad and the ample Italian contingent successful the stands.

(Getty Images for ITF)

“Jasmine raised her level really precocious this year. ... She’s an illustration for each of us,” said Paolini’s teammate, 78th-ranked Lucia Bronzetti.

Bronzetti called it an “honour” to compete successful beforehand of Billie Jean King, who herself was successful the stands, saying, “She is simply a awesome person, a awesome legend.” Bronzetti ne'er had played a BJK Cup singles lucifer until this week. She said she didn’t find retired until Tuesday nighttime that she would beryllium successful the lineup against Slovakia.

“I didn’t slumber very well,” Bronzetti said.

“You’re not playing conscionable for yourself,” she said. “You’re playing for your squad and your country.”

Agencies