Shenzhen | Defending champion Start BJK Cup Finals in China

The final of Billie Jean King Cup started on Tuesday in Shenzhen, China, when the defending champion, Italy, landed beyond the hosts to book their place in the semi -final.

“To be honest, when I was 6-4, 5-3 [down]I thought of the Elisabetta competition. I tried to stay there. In tennis you never know what can happen. This time was good for us, both competitions. I think we will stay there until the last point. Maybe also a bit of luck. We turn the game around. But was a crazy day. Jasmine Paolini

Italy was the first nation to reach the last 4 with a 2-0 win over China, so that both singles rubbers took the draw.

“It was really a tough day. Two games, really difficult,” said Italian no. 1 Jasmine Paolini after that. “We almost lost the game. We have played the game in one way or another. I think we fought until the last ball, the last point.

“We stayed there for our bank, for our country. It was difficult, but we did it. I think we are really, very happy and proud of ourselves.”

This was China and the first meeting of Italy in the competition in 18 years, and it turned out to be one to enjoy, with the 2024 winners like the heavy favorites, but China’s Yuan Yue and Wang Xinyu were both inspired by the enthusiastic home growing in Shenzhen, and a brave battle showing.

© Lintao Zhang/Getty images for Billie Jean King Cup

In De Opener, Yuan, ranked 102 in the world, enthusiastically the home crowd by taking the first set 6-4 and building a 5-2 lead in the second, but the Italian Elisabetta Cocciaretto fluid back and won 5 straight matches to steal the set, 7-5.

Yuan rose again in the third, broke twice in front of a 4-0 lead, and later went up 5-2, only for Cocciaretto, which was arranged on 91 to respond again, to sign level on 5-alall before breaking again, and holding it to close the victory, 4-6 7-5 Up 7-5, after the 2-7-5.

The resilience of the Italian had put the defending champion against all the expectations in the driver’s seat and won 5 games in both the second and the third sets to steal the victory over Yuan.

She had stared into a straight sets of defeat, from 2-5 in the second, somehow, to bring herself back to position and eventually took the set with a running forehand winner, which she beats sweetly along the line.

“It was a difficult moment,” gave Cocciasto of that second set shortage. “She played incredible. I wasn’t too aggressive. It is hard to explain because something has changed in my mind. I said I go for it, be aggressive, whatever happens. Don’t think about the score, the result, just do your best.

“My team helped me, the crowd, the Italians here, I love them.”

Yet she had to regroup again when Yuan started with a flying start in the decision maker, the no. 2 of China who used her sizzling forehands to bully Cocciasto around the field, 4-0 up and then 5-2.

At that moment Cocciadto literally bites her racket in frustration, but then lifted her level again, pulled herself back from the edge, and when Yuan’s shot went on a match point for a long time, the Italian threw himself on the floor in an emotional celebration.

They ended the match with exactly the same number of points – each 108 – but luckily for Italy, Cocciaretto won the last, vital, one.

The Italian No. 1 Jasmine Paolini also had to come from behind to pass the Chinese Wang Xinyu and place the defending champion in the semi -final of the BJK Cup

© Lintao Zhang/Getty images for Billie Jean King Cup

In the second singles match, Wang Xinyu, ranked 34, Jasmine Paolini in the 8th match to take the opening set, 6-4, and the Chinese then insured a break in the second to serve for the match at 5-3.

However, Italian is the world no.

With the momentum now by her side, Paolini broke early in the third set for a 2-0 lead, but Wang responded by winning 4 games in a row to rise 4-2 before the Italian made his own point.

Paolini, who broke back in a match with 4 DeUces and some punishing meetings with shots that cut and squeaked the crowd, managed to keep the pressure on and eventually shot through the defense of Wang.

It was now or never for the top Italian, and it turned out to be the game that the trajectory changed the draw, which had been sure to go to a decisive doubles, while wiping the last 4 games to close a 4-6 7-6 (4) 6-4 victory and the title-deficiency champions to close their place in the semi-finals.

“To be honest, when I was 6-4, 5-3 [down]I thought of Elisabetta’s match, “said Paolini afterwards.” I tried to stay there. In tennis you never know what can happen. This time was good for us, both competitions. I think we will stay there until the last point. Maybe also a bit of luck. We turn the game around. But was a crazy day. “

However, it was a brutal ending for the hosts who had given everything, but were painfully short.

“I definitely felt the special welcome to me, the local girl,” said Wang Xinyu. “I want to thank you for everyone who came today. It was great to hear the whole stadium cheering for us. I just look forward to the next time I can play here at home.”

A general view in the Arena in the Shenzhen Bay Sports Center where the Billie Jean King Cup from Gainbridge Finals will be played this week in China

© Lintao Zhang/Getty images for Billie Jean King Cup

Hosts China are eliminated from the competition, while Italy lives to fight another day, and continue their deficiency defense when they are confronted with the winners of the quarterfinals on Wednesday between 5 times Champions Spain and Ukraine, who are looking for their first title in the competition.

This is the 3rd consecutive year of Italy to reach the last 4.

On Thursday, Kazakhstan meets the United States and is faced with Great Britain opposite Japan in the remaining quarterfinals.

The 7 tires on the World Cup tennis are broadcast to fans all over the world, and here in the UK every draw can be viewed live on the tennis channel, while all tires of Britain are also broadcast live on BBC IPLAYER and the BBC Sport website.

The Billie Jean King Cup Finals have moved this year, apparently most of the top names that go to Asia for the hard court fluctuation, while it is the first time that it is played outside the usual Novemberslot next to the Davis Cup Finals.

The jury is eliminated about the merits of such a movement, which seems to shift the spotlights of the ladies team competition.

Team GB has familiarized with Emma Raducanu to bring her top game to this event, as she has done so often, but the British No. 1 decided to play the Korea instead, causing Katie Boulter Sonay Kartal, Fran Jones and Jodie Burrage to led into battle.

Eight teams compete in the Billie Jean King Cup Finals and play a successive knockout competition starting with the quarterfinals to the final.

Team Italy lifted the Billie Jean King Cup trophy from 2024 in Malaga, Spain, where they defeated Slovakia in the final

© Angel Martinez/Getty images for ITF

Here is the full draw for the Billie Jean King Cup Finals:

Quarter -finals

• Match A: Italy vs China, PR (Tuesday)
• Match B: Spain vs Ukraine (Wednesday)
• Match C: Kazakhstan vs USA (Thursday)
• Match D: Groot -Britain vs Japan (Thursday)

Semi -final

• Italy versus winner of Match B (Friday)
• Winner of Match C vs winner of Match D (Saturday)

Final (Sunday)

Result

Italy beat China PR, 2-0

• Elisabetta Cocciasto (Ita) d. Yuan Yue (CHN), 4-6 7-5 7-5
• Jasmine Paolini (now) d. Wang Xinyu (CHN), 4-6 7-6 (4) 6-4
• Sara Errani/Jasmine Paolini (now) V Jiang Xinyu/Zhang Shua (CHN) – Not played