Jasmine Paolini delivered a masterclass performance to guide Italy to their fifth Billie Jean King Cup title. She convincingly defeated Rebecca Sramkova 6-2 6-1 in the final match securing Italy’s 2-0 victory over Slovakia on Wednesday.
This triumph comes a year after Italy faced a heart-wrenching defeat against Canada and ends a decade-long wait since their last title victory in 2013. Paolini, known for her charismatic play, overwhelmed Sramkova in the singles rubber and celebrated joyously with her team and Italian supporters, including world number one Jannik Sinner.
Slovakia, unexpected finalists who had previously shocked Britain, were outmatched by a formidable Italian team. Lucia Bronzetti established Italy’s momentum with her dominant 6-2 6-4 victory over Viktoria Hruncakova, setting the stage for Paolini’s win.
(With inputs from agencies.)