Italy Defeats Slovenia to Qualify for Billie Jean King Cup Final

Martina Trevisan and Jasmine Paolini Lead Italy to Final

By Mathieu Warnier, Media365

Published on Saturday, November 11, 2023 at 3:20 p.m.

Martina Trevisan and Jasmine Paolini were instrumental in Italy’s qualification for the final of the Billie Jean King Cup, defeating Slovenia in a thrilling encounter.

Italy’s Return to the Final

Italy has made a remarkable comeback to the Billie Jean King Cup final after a decade. The Italian team remained unbeaten during the group stage and faced a tough challenge against Slovenia. Martina Trevisan set the tone in her match against Kaja Juvan. Although Trevisan took an early lead, she couldn’t maintain it until the end. After a hard-fought battle, Trevisan managed to win the deciding game, saving a break point along the way. In the tiebreak, Trevisan made a strong comeback, winning five of the last six exchanges and securing victory. Despite a spirited fight from the Slovenian, Trevisan emerged victorious with a score of 7-6, 6-3 in 2 hours and 21 minutes.

Paolini’s Heroics

Jasmine Paolini played a crucial role in securing Italy’s place in the final. In her match against Tamara Zidansek, Paolini showed great resilience. After losing her first service game, she quickly responded by breaking Zidansek’s serve. Paolini maintained her advantage and closed out the first set on her opponent’s serve. In the second set, Zidansek fought back and took the lead on the scoreboard. However, Paolini remained focused and determined. After a hard-fought battle, Paolini emerged victorious with a score of 6-2, 4-6, 6-3 in 2 hours and 3 minutes.

Italy will now face either the Czech Republic or Canada in the final on Sunday.