Billie Jean King Cup by Gainbridge Semi-final preview: Italy v Poland

What’s at stake?

Italy and Poland will battle it out for a place in the final of the Billie Jean King Cup by Gainbridge on Wednesday.

Italy is one of four countries that have competed in the Billie Jean King Cup every season, and last year they were finalists.

Four members of their 2023 squad – Jasmine Paolini, Elisabetta Cocciaretto, Lucia Bronzetti and Martina Trevisan – are in Malaga, as well as the experienced Sara Errani, who is back in the squad for the first time since 2019.

She and Paolini scored the decisive point in their 2-1 victory over Japan in the quarter-final on Saturday. It was Errani’s 27th win for Italy, putting her at the top of the country’s rankings alongside Francesca Schiavone.

Meanwhile, Poland find themselves in entirely new territory as they reach the semi-finals. They were also pushed to the third match to complete their victory over the Czech Republic in the previous round. Their team has been strengthened by the presence of world number 2 Iga Swiatek, and she has already proven to be hugely influential.

History

This is already Poland’s best result in the competition, having never won a quarter-final in two previous outings – in 1992 and 2015. Reaching the final would be an important moment in the country’s tennis history and would cap a fantastic season for Poland. Swiatek on a personal level, after she won Poland’s first-ever Olympic medal in tennis, with bronze at Paris 2024.

Italy are four-time champions, but have not won this competition since 2013. Their defeat in last year’s final against Canada was as close as they have come since. Thirty-seven-year-old Errani joins the team and is the oldest player here

Malaga at this year’s Billie Jean King Cup Finals has given the team an important lead in the doubles.

Who should you pay attention to?

The clash between the two top-ranked singles players will be a highlight of this match. Both Italy and Poland’s No. 1 players – Iga Swiatek and Jasmine Paolini – won in singles and doubles in their quarter-finals on Saturday.

This was more unusual for five-time Grand Slam champion Swiatek. She had not competed in a doubles match since 2021, but came into the quarterfinals for Poland when it mattered most, alongside teammate Katarzyna Kawa.

“That’s my last tournament of the season. Playing for Poland is always great, so even if I die on the court I will do it, I will give 100 percent,” Swiatek said after the thrilling doubles victory.

She is likely to face Paolini in the singles in a repeat of this year’s Roland-Garros final, which Swiatek won decisively 6-2 6-1.

She leads their head-to-head matches 3-0 and has not lost a match in the Billie Jean King Cup since 2019.

In any case, Paolini will be a difficult opponent. The world number 4 has had a great year, including two Grand Slam finals and reaching the WTA finals in singles and doubles. Her partnership with Errani throughout the season, which saw them win Olympic gold and qualify for the WTA Finals at the end of the year, will also be a major advantage if this draw becomes the deciding factor.

Who says what?

Iga Swiatek on doubles: “I’m super happy that Kawa led our doubles so well, chose the right tactics and told me what to do, because I haven’t played doubles for a while. I think we have made a very good team.”

Jasmine Paolini on playing Iga Swiatek: “If I play against her, I hope it will be better than Paris (in the Roland-Garros final), because in Paris it was really tough. I hope to play better.”