Italy won the Billie Jean King Cup for the first time in eleven years. The favored team led by Jasmine Paolini, fourth in the tennis world rankings, easily defeated Slovakia 2-0 in the final and celebrated their fifth victory in the national team event in Malaga. During the previous Italian titles in 2006, 2009, 2010 and 2013, the competition was called the Fed Cup. Last year Italy had already reached the final, but lost 2-0 to Canada. On Wednesday, Lucia Bronzetti, who initially defeated Viktoria Hruncakova 6:2, 6:4, and Paolini made short work of a 6:2, 6:1 win against Rebecca Sramkova. Outsiders Slovakia, who beat the USA, Australia and Great Britain on the way to the final, missed their second triumph since 2002.
Paolini reached the finals of the French Open and Wimbledon this year, and she also won Olympic gold with her compatriot Sara Errani. The final doubles no longer had to be played. “Incredible year, incredible to end it like that with the Billie Jean King Cup. I don’t have words to describe it,” Paolini said. “I’m really happy that we were able to bring home the trophy again this year.”
Captain Rainer Schüttler’s German team failed in the first round of the final tournament in Spain against semi-finalists Great Britain. After Jule Niemeier and Laura Siegemund’s two singles, the round of 16 was already decided. During the two German titles in 1987 and 1992, the event was still known as the Federation Cup.
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