Paolini helps Italy defend BJK Cup title against US

Italy defended their Billie Jean King Cup title arsenic Jasmine Paolini hit Jessica Pegula to wrap up a 2-0 triumph complete nan United States.

The world number 8 was successful ultimate shape arsenic she raced to a 6-4 6-2 triumph successful Shenzhen to unafraid Italy's sixth title.

Paolini is undefeated successful singles and doubles astatine nan BJK Cup this twelvemonth and has mislaid conscionable 1 of her erstwhile 10 matches successful nan competition.

The 29-year-old was portion of nan Italian squad that vanished runners-up to Canada successful 2023 earlier guiding them to their first title successful 11 years against Slovakia past year.

"It's amazing, I didn't expect it," Paolini said.

"It's been a really awesome week and it's astonishing to play this competition.

"They [United States] were very beardown today. It was really tough."

World number 91 Elisabetta Cocciaretto earlier put Italy's first constituent connected nan committee pinch a 6-4 6-4 triumph complete Emma Navarro.

The 24-year-old battled from 4-2 down successful nan 2nd group to hit world number 18 Navarro successful conscionable 1 hr and 19 minutes.

The United States, who knocked retired Great Britain successful nan semi-finals connected Saturday, were going for a record-extending 19th title successful their first last since 2018.

They person not won nan women's squad tourney since 2017.

For Paolini, 2025 has not brought nan aforesaid level of occurrence arsenic 2024, erstwhile she reached 2 Grand Slam singles finals and won Olympic doubles gold.

In singles, she exited each 4 Grand Slams earlier nan quarter-final stage, but won nan WTA 1000 arena successful Rome successful beforehand of a jubilant location crowd. She and compatriot Sara Errani besides triumphed successful nan women's doubles astatine nan French Open.

But Paolini has ever shone erstwhile playing for her state - and this twelvemonth was nary different.

There was small to abstracted her from world number 7 Pegula successful a tense opening group but Paolini saved 3 break points astatine 4-4 earlier sealing nan group 2 games later.

Pegula threatened a comeback successful group 2 arsenic she collapsed nan Italian successful nan opening crippled but from location nan correction count crept up, and her frustrations bubbled complete into racquet smashing and berating herself betwixt points.

Paolini raced done nan 2nd group and looked for illustration she would person nan title settled arsenic she served for nan lucifer astatine 5-1 but Pegula saved 3 lucifer points to proceed nan contest.

But nan erstwhile Wimbledon and French Open runner-up sealed triumph successful nan adjacent crippled to make it 4 wins successful 4 matches this week successful Shenzhen.