Italy won the Billie Jean King Cup for the seventh time on Wednesday, with Jasmine Paolini defeating Rebecca Sramkova in a decisive 2-0 victory over Slovakia. Paolini won the second singles match 6-2, 6-1, following Lucia Bronzetti’s 6-2, 6-4 win over Viktoria Hruncakova. Italy finished second to Canada in last year’s final, but they went one further in Malaga to win the world championship for the first time since 2013.
Paolini’s victory followed a spectacular year in which he finished second at Roland Garros and Wimbledon. “Unbelievable year, unthinkable, to finish like like with the Billie Jean King cup, it’s outstanding I don’t have words to describe it,” claimed Paolini.
“I’m just trying to appreciate it; it’s vital to recognize where you’re at; I feel fortunate to be in this position, to be a member of this squad… Slovakia, which won the championship in 2002, had never lost a BJK Cup match in Spain.
In a surprising run to this year’s final, the underdogs overcame the United States, Australia, and the United Kingdom, but Bronzetti easily defeated Hruncakova in under 90 minutes. The in-form Sramkova ranked 43rd, held for 2-2 in the first set before Paolini broke for a 4-2 advantage, which she maintained.
The Slovakian double-faulted, giving Paolini two set points, the first of which came when Sramkova slammed a ball into the net. Paolini broke in the second game of the second set, and it appeared that she would cruise to victory, but Sramkova quickly returned to serve.
Sramkova overcame Danielle Collins, Ajla Tomljanovic, and Katie Boulter in Slovakia’s run to the final, but Paolini proved too much. The 28-year-old Italian extended her lead to 3-1 with a fizzing forehand before consolidating. Paolini has spent the majority of her career outside the top 50, so 2024 represents a significant step forward for her.