Iga Swiatek's heroics at this year's Billie Jean King Cup Finals weren't enough for Poland to win it all after the five-time Grand Slam champion and Katarzyna Kawa missed out on some golden chances and lost the deciding doubles match to Italy in their semifinal tie.
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After Magda Linette lost to Lucia Bronzetti, the top-ranked Polish female tennis player beat this year's French Open and Wimbledon runner-up to force a deciding rubber. But unfortunately for the four-time French Open winner, she and her nation failed to complete a comeback after Paris Olympics gold medalists Paolini and Sara Errani earned a tight 7-5 7-5 win in the key match.
Just two days earlier, Swiatek edged out Linda Noskova before also winning with Kawa to complete victory over the Czech Republic and write history for Poland by leading her country to their first-ever BJK Cup semifinal. On Monday, the 23-year-old was in similar situation but this time fell short in the doubles clash.
Swiatek and Kawa could have easily won in two sets...
At 5-4 in the first set, the Polish team had three consecutive set points but didn't convert. And Errani and Paolini made them pay the ultimate price after claiming a break in the 11th game and serving out for the opener in the following game.
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At the start of the second set, Swiatek and Kawa got broken in the opening game but then claimed three breaks in a row to open a 5-1 lead. But then shockingly, they lost the next six games and the match in two sets.
When I lost the singles match to Iga I was a bit sad. But I tried to go in the locker room and think positively about doubles. I knew I had the support of my whole team. Im really happy about the win. Congrats to Poland. Theyre a big team, a lot of Polish people cheering for Poland," Paolini said afterward.
