Paolini's Italy beats Slovakia to win Billie Jean King Cup

<img src='https://news.cgtn.com/news/2024-11-21/Paolini-s-Italy-beats-Slovakia-to-win-Billie-Jean-King-Cup-1yHIXhoVqGk/img/b76382bdae564881a6b400ea6f7e1d80/b76382bdae564881a6b400ea6f7e1d80.png' alt='Italy players celebrate on the podium after winning the Billie Jean King Cup final at the Martin Carpena Sports Hall in Malaga, Spain, November 20, 2024. /CFP'

Italy won the Billie Jean King Cup for the fifth time as Jasmine Paolini beat Rebecca Sramkova to secure a dominant 2-0 win over Slovakia on Wednesday.

World number four Paolini triumphed 6-2, 6-1 in the second singles rubber to follow up Lucia Bronzetti’s 6-2, 6-4 victory against Viktoria Hruncakova.

Italy were runners-up to Canada in last year’s final but went one better in Malaga to become world champions for the first time since 2013. The victory capped a stunning year for Paolini who finished as runner-up at Roland Garros and Wimbledon.

Slovakia, who won the competition in 2002, had never lost a BJK Cup tie in Spain. The underdogs defeated USA, Australia and Great Britain on a stunning run to this year’s final, but Bronzetti breezed past Hruncakova in under 90 minutes.

The in-form Sramkova, ranked 43rd, survived two break points to hold for 2-2 in the first set but the superior Paolini broke for a 4-2 lead, which she consolidated.

<img src='https://news.cgtn.com/news/2024-11-21/Paolini-s-Italy-beats-Slovakia-to-win-Billie-Jean-King-Cup-1yHIXhoVqGk/img/79d66f37f73e4cd7822231751d1bfa34/79d66f37f73e4cd7822231751d1bfa34.jpeg' alt='Italy's Jasmine Paolini celebrates after winning against Slovakia's Rebecca Sramkova during the Billie Jean King Cup final at the Martin Carpena Sports Hall in Malaga, Spain, November 20, 2024. /CFP'

The Slovakian double faulted to hand Paolini two set points and the Italian took the first of them when Sramkova slapped a shot into the net. Paolini broke in the second game of the second set and it looked like she might power to victory without a fight, but Sramkova immediately hit back to get back on serve.

Sramkova defeated Danielle Collins, Ajla Tomljanovic and Katie Boulter on Slovakia’s charge to the final but Paolini was a bridge too far. The 28-year-old Italian restored her advantage with a fizzing forehand to move 3-1 ahead and then consolidated.

Having spent most of her career outside the top 50, 2024 has been a huge leap forward for Paolini. She broke again when Sramkova went long and served out to seal an emphatic victory in one hour and five minutes.