(Málaga) World No. 2 Iga Świątek beat Jasmine Paolini (4e) in three sets to put Poland level with Italy in the semi-final of the Billie Jean King Cup in Málaga, before a doubles match which will be decisive.
Posted at 4:24 p.m.
Updated at 4:54 p.m.
The native of Warsaw won 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 after a fight of more than two and a half hours.
Earlier in the day, Magda Linette (38e) had lost the first singles 6-4, 7-6 (7/3) against Lucia Bronzetti (78e).
Despite her defeat, Paolini has an immediate opportunity to take revenge on Świątek, as both players will line up in the deciding doubles scheduled for later in the evening, organizers said.
PHOTO JON NAZCA, REUTERS
Jasmine Paolini
The Italian will be associated with Sara Errani and the Polish with Katarzyna Kawa.
“I still have work, no time to party,” Świątek said just after his singles victory.
Facing Paolini, whom she had beaten in their three previous confrontations, Świątek was fragile in her service games, conceding twice in the first set to finally lose 6-3.
In the second set, Paolini had many break points, but was unable to convert any of them. Quite the opposite from Świątek, who stole Tuscany’s throw-in at 5-4 in his favor to equalize at one set all.
Rebelote in 3e round, where the two players engaged in a standoff until Paolini cracked, again in the tenth game (6-4 for Świątek).
Scheduled for Monday evening, the doubles will be decisive and will determine whether Italy, four times winner of the Billie Jean King Cup, or Poland, present for the first time in the semi-final of the former Fed Cup , will reach the final.
The second semi-final will pit Slovakia against Great Britain on Tuesday.
