MALAGA, Spain — Italy’s Jasmine Paolini won her singles and doubles to lead Italy past Japan 2-1 and back into the semi-finals of the Billie Jean King Cup.
The fourth-ranked Paolini, a finalist at Wimbledon and French Open, defeated Moyuka Uchijima 6-3, 6-4 to level the tie 1-1.
She then went right back onto the indoor hard court in Malaga to help Sara Errani beat Shuko Aoyama and Eri Hozumi 6-3, 6-4 to seal the quarter-final win.
Japan took the early lead when Ena Shibahara defeated Elisabetta Cocciaretto 3-6, 6-4, 6-4.
Uchijima stole Paolini´s first service game. But that was only a blip in an otherwise dominant showing by the Italian. Paolini broke Uchijima four times and hit 17 forehand winners to secure the straight-set victory.
In doubles, the Italians broke the Japanese four times and made just 14 unforced errors to 23 by their rivals.
“Japan is a tough cookie, as you say in English,” Italy captain Tathiana Garbin said according to AP.
“They played with a lot of courage so it was fun to watch this kind of level. My players, they played unbelievable doubles, so we made it.”
Paolini, however, turned things back in the Italians’ favour. In the second singles match, the World No.4 took 1 hour and 15 minutes to best Moyuka Uchijima 6-3, 6-4 and level the tie.
Paolini, this year’s Roland Garros and Wimbledon finalist, converted three of her nine break points while only dropping serve once against World No.56 Uchijima.
Italy, which lost last year´s final to Canada, awaits the winner of the quarter-final between Poland and the Czech Republic.
Poland’s world number two Iga Swiatek beat Paula Badosa 6-3 6-7(5) 6-1 to knock out hosts Spain 2-0 and book her country a spot in the Billie Jean King Cup quarter-finals.
At three hours and 51 minutes, Linette’s triumph for Poland was nine minutes shy of the longest game ever in the competition and she was forced to come from 3-0 down in the deciding set.
With Poland leading the tie, Swiatek stepped onto court with the chance to send her nation through to their first Billie Jean King Cup quarter-final since 2015.
Swiatek returned to competition earlier in November at the WTA Finals two months after deciding to step aside from the WTA tour due to fatigue following her US Open quarter-final exit.
The 23-year-old, who lost top ranking to Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka, started well against world number 12 Badosa by taking the first set and moving 3-0 ahead in the second, Reuters reported.
Roared on by the home fans, Badosa managed to recover and took the game to a third set by winning a tight tiebreak but Swiatek came back relentlessly to break Badosa’s serve four times and send Poland through to the last eight.
“I´m happy that we finally won a tie at the BJK Cup Finals. It´s a big step for us,” Swiatek said.
“My match was super intense. At the beginning I felt like it was my best match since the US Open. Later on she pushed me and there was a lot of pressure.”
Britain’s Raducanu made a triumphant return to court after a two-month injury layoff by securing a 6-4 6-4 win over Germany’s Jule Niemeier before world number 24 Boulter wrapped up the tie with a comfortable 6-1 6-2 victory against Laura Siegemund.
“I think I played some really good tennis,” former US Open champion Raducanu said.
“I haven’t obviously played a match in a long time so these are small sharpness things that come the more matches I play. I’m very happy.”
Elsewhere, Novak Djokovic will be “really dangerous” and ready to compete for Grand Slam trophies when the Serb returns to action at next year’s Australian Open after an underwhelming 2024 campaign, world number three Carlos Alcaraz said.
After winning three out of the four Grand Slams last year, Djokovic endured a lacklustre season by his lofty standards, as the 24-times champion was shut out of the majors for the first time since an injury-plagued 2017.
The 37-year-old captured his first Olympic gold medal by beating Alcaraz in Paris just weeks after their Wimbledon final, however, to remind fans he can never be written off.
“A really dangerous player,” Alcaraz said at the ATP Finals when asked what fans can expect from Djokovic at the Australian Open.
“We’ve seen before that it doesn’t matter if he doesn’t play an official match for two, three, four months because he’s going to come again and be able to win the tournament, be able to show a really high level of tennis.
“If he goes to Australia hungry, he’s going to be one of the favourites to win Australia.”
Djokovic pulled out of the season-ending ATP Finals in Turin through injury but Alcaraz said he expects him to be rejuvenated when the first Grand Slam of 2025 gets underway on Jan. 12.
The Serb will be gunning for a record-extending 11th title while Alcaraz will hunt for a maiden crown at Melbourne Park.
“He’s going to be fresh, for sure. A lot of time with his family,” Alcaraz added after his group stage exit in Italy.
“He’s had time to practice a lot, which is pretty good for a tennis player coming to a tournament with motivations.
