World Champions: How Italy Defended Billie Jean King Cup Title

Italy is the champion of the world once again after Jasmine Paolini's dominant 6-4, 6-2 win over the United States' Jessica Pegula saw Italy defend its Billie Jean King Cup title in Shenzhen.

Pegula had four opportunities to break the Italian in the first set; however, Paolini produced some of her best tennis to save each one. Paolini nabbed a break in the ninth game with a powerful down-the-line backhand, taking the first set 6-4 and quickly racing out to a 5-1 lead in the second.

The World No. 8 needed four match points to seal the deal, failing to serve it out during her first three match points before breaking Pegula to win the match on her fourth.

"It's amazing," Paolini said. "I still cannot realize that. It's amazing to show how we fight on court. We try to do our best. I think to play for the national team, it's something that I was watching, I was dreaming to do."

Paolini is now undefeated in both singles and doubles in this year's addition of the tournament, having lost just one of her last 10 matches in the past two editions of the Cup, both resulting in Italy winning the title.

"Hopefully, many, many girls are going to start to play tennis," Paolini said. "I think tennis in Italy is growing a lot. Hopefully, we are going to inspire some little girls."

During the first singles match of the evening, Italy's Elisabetta Cocciaretto brought her country one step closer to securing the title with her 6-4, 6-4 victory over Emma Navarro.

The World No. 91 broke the American during the first game of the match with a backhand directed back towards Navarro, whose answering backhand went long.

Navarro rallied back in the second set, putting pressure on Cocciaretto's serve during the sixth game of the set for her first break of the match.

The Italian immediately broke back after Navarro hit a few unforced errors in the following game, bringing the two back on serve. Cocciaretto eventually broke Navarro at 4-4 with a stunning backhand winner down the line, holding her own serve in the following game to win the match.

"It was an unbelievable match for me," Cocciaretto said after her match. "I know that I had to play my best tennis. I'm really happy about the performance and the point that I gave to Italy."

Italy secured their place in back-to-back finals appearances with a tight 2-1 victory over maiden semifinalists Ukraine. Paolini partnered with Sara Errani to challenge Marta Kostyuk and Lyudmyla Kichenok in the deciding doubles after Paolini defeated Elina Svitolina in three sets and Kostyuk defeated Cocciaretto in two.

The Olympic gold medalists outshone the Ukrainian duo, overcoming Kostyuk and Kichenok 6-3, 6-2 to bring Italy to their third consecutive Cup final, the first country to do so since Czechia in 2016.

"I think it's historical moment for the Italian tennis, not just men," Italy team captain Tathiana Garbin said after the win. "Today again they show how strong they are when they have a dream and they running for the same dream. They [are] building a great unity. I'm just lucky to be here and be present with these magnificent girls."

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