Nov 21, (V7N) - Jasmine Paolini celebrated an extraordinary year for both herself and Italian tennis after playing a pivotal role in Italy's Billie Jean King Cup victory on Wednesday. Paolini, who finished as runner-up at both Roland Garros and Wimbledon this year, delivered a crucial win in the second singles rubber against Rebecca Sramkova of Slovakia, securing a 2-0 victory for Italy. This followed Lucia Bronzetti's win in the opening match against Viktoria Hruncakova.

Paolini's triumph adds to a remarkable season that included winning her second career title in Dubai, Olympic doubles gold, and a Billie Jean King Cup win in Malaga. Reflecting on the year, Paolini said, "It's an unbelievable year for Italian tennis," noting that tennis is growing in popularity in Italy, partly due to Jannik Sinner's rise as the world number one in men's tennis.

Paolini expressed pride in Italy's success, saying, "We played amazing tennis – we deserve it," particularly after losing in last year's BJK Cup final. She described the win as a "dream," adding that she never expected to finish the week with a trophy.

The Italian team was honored with blue jackets by Billie Jean King herself, and the team's captain, Tathiana Garbin, spoke with reverence about King, calling her a legend who changed the way women are treated in sports and beyond.

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