Four-time champions Italy defeated Slovenia by 2-0 in the semi-finals of the Billie Jean King Cup women’s team tennis tournament in Seville.
The Italian women won the trophy in 2006, 2009, 2010, 2013, with the players Roberta Vinci, Sara Errani, Karin Knapp and Flavia Pennetta appearing in the last championship squad. Today, Martina Trevisan, Jasmine Paolini, Lucia Bronzetti and Elisabetta Cocciaretto are making the Team Italy and reached the final of the tournament.
The Italian women started the day with a singles victory for Martina Trevisan against Kaja Juvan with 2-0 (7:6, 6:3). The world’s No 43 hit 29 winners to her opponent’s 11 and both made a total of 110 unforced errors. Martina Trevisan was losing the tiebreak in the first set by 5-6, but recorded two mini-breaks and finished the Slovenian on her own serve for 8-6.
Kaja Juvan recorded the first break in the second set for 2:1, but Martina Trevisan returned it instantly and made another break in the eighth game. In her next serve, she wasted three match points, but converted the fourth for the final 6:3.
In the second singles, Jasmine Paolini defeated Tamara Zidansek by 2-1 (6:2, 4:6, 6:3). The two exchanged one set each, and the last one started with Tamara Zidansek’s break. Just like in the other match, however, the Italian tennis player made two breaks and reached victory.
Jasmine Paolini recorded the only four aces of the match and hit 5/9 break points.