MALAGA, Spain (AP) 鈥� Two-time Grand Slam finalist capped a breakthrough season by leading Italy to its first 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鈥檚 team competition.
When Paolini's win ended, she was joined on court by her teammates, and they embraced each other, then danced and sang along as the Gypsy Kings' version of 鈥淰olare鈥� blared on the loudspeakers.
The No. 4-ranked Paolini was the 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.
鈥淯nbelievable year. Unbelievable. A crazy year. To finish like this, with a title 鈥� it鈥檚 amazing. I don鈥檛 have words to describe it. I鈥檓 trying just to enjoy every moment,鈥� Paolini said. 鈥淚 feel lucky to be in the position. I feel lucky to be part of this team.鈥�
She also teamed with Sara Errani to win a doubles gold medal 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.
鈥淛asmine raised her level really high this year. ... She鈥檚 an example for all of us,鈥� said her teammate, 78th-ranked Lucia Bronzetti, who took Wednesday鈥檚 opener by a 6-2, 6-4 score against Viktoria Hruncakova before a crowd that included International Tennis herself.
Bronzetti called it an 鈥渉onor鈥� to compete in front of the woman for whom the event is named, saying, 鈥淪he is a great person, a great legend.鈥�
Italy, which eliminated No. 1 Iga Swiatek and Poland in the semifinals, earned its fifth championship a year after finishing as the runner-up to Canada.
鈥淚鈥檓 so proud of them. They fight every day,鈥� Italian captain Tathiana Garbin said. 鈥淭his journey was incredible.鈥�
The triumph adds to what鈥檚 been quite a recent run for Italy in tennis, including two Grand Slam trophies in 2024 and the No. 1 men鈥檚 ranking for , who helped his country claim last year鈥檚 Davis Cup. Sinner and Italy meet Argentina in the men鈥檚 quarterfinals Thursday.
This is the first time the two premier International Tennis Federation team events are being held at the same site, although the women鈥檚 matches are being played in a much smaller venue. They are using a temporary court set up under a white tent, with a capacity of 4,000; the men are playing in a permanent arena with 9,200 seats that were full Tuesday for in Spain鈥檚 loss to the Netherlands.
Bronzetti never had played a BJK Cup singles match until this week. She said she didn鈥檛 find out until Tuesday night that she would be in the lineup against Slovakia.
鈥淚 didn鈥檛 sleep very well,鈥� Bronzetti said.
鈥淵ou鈥檙e not playing just for yourself,鈥� she said. 鈥淵ou鈥檙e playing for your team and your country.鈥�
Serenaded by chants of her first name 鈥� 鈥淟oo-Chee-Ah! Loo-Chee-Ah!鈥� 鈥� that mingled with the sounds of a drum and red plastic horn played in the cheering section behind Slovakia鈥檚 bench, Bronzetti claimed the last three games of the first set and the last four of the match.
She trailed 4-2, 40-15 in the second set but turned it around.
鈥淚 was a little worried I was going to a third,鈥� Bronzetti said.
Slovakia, which won the BJK Cup in 2002, eliminated the United States, Australia and Britain to get to the final this time.
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AP tennis:
Howard Fendrich, The Associated Press
