Italy's Tennis Titans Deliver Under Pressure

Paolini and Errani continue their dominant doubles partnership

World No. 8 Jasmine Paolini staged a remarkable comeback to keep Italy's title defense alive in Friday's Billie Jean King Cup semifinals, overcoming Elina Svitolina 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 before teaming with Sara Errani to seal the decisive doubles rubber against Ukraine.

Match Breakdown:

1. Kostyuk Strikes First
   Ukraine's Marta Kostyuk dominated Elisabetta Cocciaretto 6-2, 6-3, showcasing blistering baseline power to give Ukraine early momentum.

2. Paolini's Resilience Shines
   Trailing 3-6, 1-3 against Svitolina, the Italian star:

   • Saved 5 break points in critical 4th game
   • Converted 78% of second-serve returns
   • Won 15/18 net approaches in final set

3. Golden Duet Delivers
   The 2024 Olympic champions demonstrated why they're tennis' most formidable doubles pair:

   • 92% first-serve success rate
   • 14 winners to Ukraine's 6
   • Clinched match with Errani's signature drop volley

Historic Context:

• Italy seeks 5th BJK Cup title (Last: 2024)
• Ukraine's deepest tournament run since 1993
• Paolini extends 2025 singles record to 48-9

Key Statistics:

Sunday's Final Preview:
Italy awaits either 18-time champions USA or first-time semifinalists Great Britain. The defending champions haven't lost a BJK Cup tie on hard courts since 2022.