The stage is set for an electrifying final in the Billie Jean King Cup as Italy takes on Slovakia on Wednesday, November 20, 2024, at the Martin Carpena Arena in Málaga, Spain. This highly anticipated match promises to be a thrilling encounter, with both teams vying for the prestigious title of 2024 World Champions.
Italy enters the final with a strong determination to claim their fifth Billie Jean King Cup title, having finished as runners-up last year. Spearheaded by the Olympic women’s doubles champions, Jasmine Paolini and Sara Errani, Italy has shown remarkable resilience and skill throughout the tournament. Their journey to the final included a stunning 2-1 victory against Poland, with Paolini and Errani clinching the decisive doubles match.
Slovakia, on the other hand, is making a remarkable comeback after a 22-year absence from the final. The 2002 champions have had a fairytale run, pulling off upset after upset, including a thrilling comeback win against the USA and a dominant performance against Australia. Their success can be attributed to the stellar performances of Viktoria Hruncakova and Rebecca Sramkova, who have been instrumental in their journey to the final.
The final will follow a best-of-three format, consisting of two singles matches and a doubles match if necessary. The order of play is as follows:
Singles Match 1: Viktoria Hruncakova (Slovakia) vs. Lucia Bronzetti (Italy)
Singles Match 2: Rebecca Sramkova (Slovakia) vs. Jasmine Paolini (Italy)
Doubles Match (if necessary): TBD vs. TBD
Viktoria Hruncakova vs. Lucia Bronzetti: Hruncakova, with her extensive experience in the Billie Jean King Cup, will face the rising star Bronzetti, who has shown great promise in her first-ever Billie Jean King Cup singles match.
Rebecca Sramkova vs. Jasmine Paolini: Sramkova has a favorable record against Paolini, winning four
Jasmine Paolini in 2024
Ranked no.4 (career-high), Jasmine played her last match on the 18th of November when she was overcome by world no.2 Iga Swiatek 3-6 6-4 6-4 in the Rubber 2 in (draw).
Currently, during this season Paolini has managed to achieve a compiled 41-21 win-loss record. The Italian has won 1 title in Dubai. Paolini was the runner-up at the French Open and Wimbledon.