The triumph at the Billie Jean King Cup Finals was the ultimate reward for the season performed by Jasmine Paolini. The Italian closed an extraordinary year, in which she reached the final at the French Open and Wimbledon Championships, won the WTA 1000 Dubai Twennis Championships, the gold medal in doubles at the Paris Olympics and now the BJK Finals.
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At the press conference, the Italian said how this triumph is a great way to end the year, underlining her feeling in playing matches for Italy.
"I'm happy that we managed to bring home the trophy after last year. There was a lot of talk about the previous generation and it was said that we were very far from that level. Last year's final, however, gave us great confidence and this year we played very well," she said.
Paolini was asked how the next few weeks of the off-season will be in terms of her preparation. The WTA No.4 said that now she will rest a bit even if it won't be a long time because then she needs to prepare for the trip to Australia.
Great joy also from the other Italian tennis players. Sara Errani analyzed how they are a great group with many strong players, and for her, being back playing with the Italian jersey was fantastic because it's something she cares a lot about.
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Lucia Bronzetti was decisive with two singles victories against Poland and Slovakia in the semifinal and final.
"It was a dream I had as a child. I watched the matches on TV and now I'm here. We are all good in singles and now we also have a very strong doubles," she said.
Elisabetta Cocciaretto added how this Cup is a team trophy, which unites all of them with the fans and the team.
Finally, Martina Trevisan analyzed: "My teammates have already said it all. Having this Cup in my hands is wonderful. The final we lost last year gave us a lot of experience and this year we arrived here much more ready."
So Italy won its 5th BJK finals in history. The girls led by Tathiana Garbin dominated the final against Slovakia and deservedly won the Billie Jean King Cup. Bronzetti opened the dance with a victory against Viktoria Hruncakova with a score of 6-2, 6-4. Paolini then completed the work by playing an almost perfect match against Rebecca Sramkova and closing 6-2, 6-1. Sara Errani's contribution was also decisive, capable of winning an incredible doubles match together with Paolini in the semifinal against Poland.
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"This year my role was a little different. The suffering off the court was still a lot. The important thing is to support your team in every match. It is a result achieved by the whole group and you have to always be ready, because you never know what can happen. I always felt ready to take the court," said Trevisan in the final interview on court.
For Sara Errani this is the fourth success in the competition; a success that closes a special season for her where she also won the gold medal she so desired at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
"I can't tell you my secret of the serve from below. It's something I've done several times during the year. It comes to mind just before it happens. Helping my team is fantastic. I enjoyed every moment, I was less nervous. I thank Tathiana for involving me in the group again. It's been an incredible year, it couldn't have been better. The gold medal is a dream come true. Playing with Italy is special for me," she told in the on court interview.
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Finally, in a touching press conference, captain Tathiana Garbin expressed all her joy, especially considering how she had to fight against cancer in the last year.
"It's a dream come true. I have a group of extraordinary champions and I'm really proud of them and how they fought every day. It's been an incredible journey, because I know everything they've done to get here. Their strength is to always continue to improve both as players and as people. Team spirit is the most important thing. I also think about the people who supported us. You have to play to make them happy too," she said.
Elisabetta Cocciaretto explained in the on-court interview: "The first defeat is no longer present in my head! I am happy to share this moment with the whole team. They are not only great players, but also extraordinary girls and great people. I am happy to have shared all this with them. It was a fantastic journey."
