Italian tennis is still on the top of the world. While waiting for the debut of Sinner and his companions, who tomorrow will begin the defense of the Davis Cup won a year ago, at the Palacio de Deportes José Maria Martin Carpena in Malaga it is the women’s Italtennis team that will play, once again, the anthem of Mameli. The Italian flag is flying thanks to Tathiana Garbin’s girls who won the Billie Jean King Cup for the fifth time in the history of Italian tennis, and 11 years after the 2013 triumph. The Italians closed the Slovakia practice by beating it 2-0 (4- 0 in sets) thanks to a determined Lucia Bronzetti she defeated Viktoria Hruncakova with a score of 6-2 6-4, and to an immense Jasmine Paolini who she prevailed against Rebecca Sramkova, number 43 in the ATP ranking, in two sets with a score of 6-2 6-1. “It’s truly a dream come true,” captain Garbin said after the race. “I have great champions, great players, but above all great girls. I’m so proud of them, they fight every day.”
Bronzetti, number 78 in the world, took 1 hour and 21 minutes to defeat Hruncakova, a former Top 50 player currently at number 238. It took world number 4 Paolini just 65 minutes to settle the score with Rebecca Sramkova. Then the long embrace of the Italians, ready to dance on the roof of the world: Lucia Bronzetti, Elisabetta Cocciaretto, Sara Errani, Jasmine Paolini, Martina Trevisan together with captain Tathiana Garbin to drag the Italian party onto the pitch and into the stands. “We are world champions, we are happy, it is truly a dream come true,” said Bronzetti at the end of the match. “It was a fantastic week for us, we enjoyed every moment,” added Sara Errani, who didn’t need to take to the court in the doubles, as her partner Jasmine Paolini brought home the triumph with the victory in the singles . A “crazy” victory. It’s truly incredible to close with the Billie Jean King Cup title like this, I have no words”, commented Paolini herself, beaming.
Thus, after the titles won in 2006, 2009, 2010 and 2013, the long-awaited fifth triumph has arrived, making Italy the sixth nation to win the Billie Jean King Cup at least five times after USA (18 titles), Repubblica Czech Republic (11), Australia (7), Spain (5) and Russia (5). A victory that is also a revenge after the defeat a year ago in the final against Canada. And while the Italian party at the Martin Carpena Arena in Malaga continues, all eyes are already on another Italy, that of Sinner and his teammates, ready tomorrow to defend the historic title won a year ago in the Davis Cup.