Italy reached the semifinals at the Billie Jean King Cup for the second consecutive year in Malaga.
Ena Shibahara came back from one set down to beat Elisabetta Cocciaretto 3-6 6-4 6-4 giving Japan a 1-0 lead.
Shibahara has won all of her five Billie Jean King Cup singes or doubles matches. Shibahara was not able to convert any of her six break points in the first set. Cocciaretto broke twice in the fifth and ninth games to win the first set 6-3. Shibahara started the second set with an early break in the first game. Cocciaretto converted her third break-back point to draw level to 1-1. Shibahara saved two break points to hold serve at 3-6 3-4 15-40. The Japanese player sealed the win with an ace.
“It was really frustrating not being able to convert those break points in the beginning. I think sometimes I let my emotions get ahead of me a little bit, and I think it cost me some games on my serves, as well. During the first-set break, I was trying to just stay positive and turn it into a positive mindset of ‘I have chance, that means I can come back. That’s exactly what I did”, said Shibahara.
This year’s Roland Garros and Wimbledon finalist Jasmine Paolini beat Moyuka Uchijma 6-3 6-4 to level the tie to 1-1.
Paolini was broken in her first opening game, but she bounced back by breaking four times. The Italian player fired 17 forehand winners.
“I was balanced with the focus and nerves. It was not easy for me to enter down 0-1. I think I played a good match. I am trying to not think about how many matches I played this season. I tried to have the energy today. Of course it helps to help the bench full of the team supporting us”, said Paolini.
Olympic doubles champions Jasmine Paolini and Sara Errani beat Shuko Aoyama and Eri Hozumi 6-3 6-4 to book Italy’s spot in the quarter final at the Billie Jean King Cup.
Aoyama and Hozumi went up an early break in the third game, but Errani and Paolini broke twice in the fourth and sixth games to win the first set 6-3.
The Italian team broke twice in the first and fifth games to win eight of the next ten games and build a 6-3 5-1. Errani served for the match at 6-3 5-2. Aoyama and Hozumi pulled one break back to win three consecutive games for 3-5. They saved a match point on a decisive point on Errani’s serve.
Errani and Paolini served out the match at 15 to reach the semifinals.
“Three years ago I did not like to play doubles, but we started to play and I learnt a lot from her. I know better what to do on the court because before I was feeling like: ‘what I am doing here. But now I know more what I have to do because she is telling me. As I always say, she is the boss. We have fun together. We had some great weeks. Let’s keep playing”, said Paolini.
