BJK Cup: Paolini,Errani inspire Italy to a famous win against Swiatek’s Poland to reach final

World No.2 Iga Swiatek may have outlasted World No.4 Jasmine Paolini in a thrilling 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 second singles match on Monday in the semifinals of the Billie Jean King Cup Finals — but it was the Italian who eventually got the final word and helped put her team through to Wednesday’s championship.

Paolini and Sara Errani defeated Swiatek and Katarzyna Kawa 7-5, 7-5 in the third and deciding match to send four-time Billie Jean King Cup champions Italy through to the Billie Jean King Cup Finals final, where it will face either Great Britain or Slovakia, which play Tuesday.

Gold medalists Paolini and Errani had to battle hard to defeat the scratch Polish pairing, which had partnered up for the first time just days ago in the quarterfinals and defeated the Czech Republic to advance to the final four for the first time.

“When I lost the singles match to Iga I was a bit sad. But I tried to go in the locker room and think positively about doubles. I knew I had the support of my whole team. I’m really happy about the win. Congrats to Poland. They’re a big team, a lot of Polish people cheering for Poland.”  Jasmine said after Italy’s victory.

“I have some Polish roots, but today, they’re cheering for Poland of course”, Jasmine Paolini statement when asked on her polish route.

Bronzetti had earlier gotten Italy off to a winning start with a 6-4, 7-6(3) win over Linette.

The Italian had won just three games the last time she faced off against Linette — in the United Cup last year — but led for almost the entire duration of Monday’s match. From 3-3 in the first set, Bronzetti won seven of the next nine games — but eventually needed to fight through a surge by the Pole late in the second set.

The 26-year-old Bronzetti, in her seventh BJK Cup nomination, picked up her first singles win for Il Tricolore with her Linette was playing for the first time in three days after defeating Sara Sorribes Tormo in a 3-hour, 51-minute marathon in Poland’s 2-0 win over Spain in the first round.