Italy wins 2024 Billie Jean King Cup

Jasmine Paolini (Nuta Lucian, Wikimedia Commons)

For the fifth time in their nation’s history, Italy has won the greatest women’s international team tennis trophy–the Billie Jean King Cup. On Wednesday, Italy defeated Slovakia two matches to none in the final in Malaga, Spain.

The Italians were led by Lucia Bronzetti and Jasmine Paolini. Bronzetti defeated Viktoria Hruncakova 6-2, 6-4, and Paolini defeated Rebecca Sramkova 6-2, 6-1. In Bronzetti’s win, Bronzetti was the more accurate server as she had zero double faults, compared to four for Hruncakova. Of Bronzetti’s 18 second serves, she got all 18 in the proper rectangle. Bronzetti also broke Hruncakova six times in nine opportunities.

Paolini made headlines earlier this year when she won the Dubai Championship. Now she has won her second significant tennis tournament of 2024. In her win over Sramkova, it only took Paolini one hour and five minutes to be victorious. Paolini broke Sramkova five of 10 opportunities, and only committed 17 unforced errors, compared to 25 for Sramkova.

Italy got redemption in winning the 2024 Billie Jean King Cup. Last year they were heavy favourites heading into the final against Canada in Seville, Spain, but got clobbered by a Canadian squad that massively exceeded expectations.

For Slovakia, it was accomplishment just reaching the Billie Jean King Cup Final. Over the last week in Spain, they stunned the United States in the first round, Australia in the quarterfinals. and Great Britain in the semifinals.

Italy has previously won four international women’s team tennis trophies. They happened in 2006, 2009, 2010, and 2013. At the time, the event was known as the Fed Cup.