Italy into BJK Cup final with win over Poland

Jasmine Paolini’s Italy reached their second successive Billie Jean King Cup final with a 2-1 victory over Poland, who had been given a glimmer of hope by five-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek.

World number four Paolini and her team-mate Sara Errani clinched the deciding doubles 7-5 7-5 against Swiatek and Katarzyna Kawa after an extraordinary second-set comeback in Malaga.

Twelve months ago, four-time champions Italy were beaten in the BJK Cup final by Canada.

They will discover their 2024 final opponents on Tuesday, when Great Britain take on Slovakia in the second semi-final (11:00 GMT).

“It was tough today,” said 28-year-old Paolini. “The intensity was insane.

“You have to give everything for Italy, for my team. I found the energy and I’m really happy.”

World number 78 Lucia Bronzetti was the first to strike for Italy, defeating Poland’s Magda Linette – ranked 40 places higher – in straight sets.

Her 6-4 7-6 (7-3) victory laid the path for Paolini, who was bidding to beat Swiatek for the first time.

But while Paolini won the opening set, her first in four meetings with the Polish world number two, Swiatek prevailed 3-6 6-4 6-4 to send the tie to a decider.

Paolini and Errani, who won Olympic doubles gold together in Paris this summer, saved three set points before breaking the Poles’ serve and then clinching the opener.

After being broken in the first game of the second set, Swiatek and Kawa won five consecutive games for a 5-1 lead. A match tie-break looked certain, but the Italians had other ideas.

They too reeled off five games for the chance to serve for the match, and with it, a place in the final.

They did so at the first opportunity, cueing huge celebrations from the team in blue.

The 2024 BJK Cup champions will be crowned on Wednesday night, with the final getting under way at 16:00 GMT.