Italy’s Jasmine Paolini celebrates during the Billie Jean King Cup final against Slovakia’s Rebecca Sramkova at the Martin Carpena Sports Hall in Malaga, southern Spain, on Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)Italy’s Lucia Bronzetti celebrates during the Billie Jean King Cup final against Slovakia’s Viktoria Hruncakova at the Martin Carpena Sports Hall in Malaga, southern Spain, on Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)Italy’s captain Tathiana Garbin, right, congratulates teammate Italy’s Lucia Bronzetti after winning a match against Slovakia’s Viktoria Hruncakova during the Billie Jean King Cup final at the Martin Carpena Sports Hall in Malaga, southern Spain, on Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)Italy’s Lucia Bronzetti, left, celebrates with teammates after winning against Slovakia’s Viktoria Hruncakova during the Billie Jean King Cup final at the Martin Carpena Sports Hall in Malaga, southern Spain, on Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)Italy’s Lucia Bronzetti celebrates during the Billie Jean King Cup final against Slovakia’s Viktoria Hruncakova at the Martin Carpena Sports Hall in Malaga, southern Spain, on Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)Slovakia’s tennis player Viktoria Hruncakova, reacts during the Billie Jean King Cup final against Italy’s Lucia Bronzetti at the Martin Carpena Sports Hall in Malaga, southern Spain, on Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)Italy’s Jasmine Paolini returns the ball to Slovakia’s Rebecca Sramkova during the Billie Jean King Cup final at the Martin Carpena Sports Hall in Malaga, southern Spain, on Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)Slovakia’s Rebecca Sramkova returns the ball to Italy’s Jasmine Paolini during the Billie Jean King Cup final at the Martin Carpena Sports Hall in Malaga, southern Spain, on Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
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Italy’s Jasmine Paolini celebrates during the Billie Jean King Cup final against Slovakia’s Rebecca Sramkova at the Martin Carpena Sports Hall in Malaga, southern Spain, on Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
MALAGA – Two-time Grand Slam finalist Jasmine Paolini capped a breakthrough season by leading Italy to its first Billie Jean King Cup title since 2013 on Wednesday, defeating Rebecca Sramkova 6-2, 6-1 to seal a 2-0 victory over Slovakia in the final of the women’s team competition.
The No. 4-ranked Paolini was the runner-up at the French Open in June and at Wimbledon in July, making her the first woman since Serena Williams in 2016 to get to the title matches at Roland Garros and the All England Club in the same season. Before this year, Paolini, who is 28, had lost in the first or second round in all 16 career appearances at majors.
She also teamed with Sara Errani to win a doubles gold medal at the Paris Olympics in August. They were lined up to play in the concluding match against Slovakia, but it wasn’t needed because Italy clinched the best-of-three series by sweeping the two singles matches.
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