Italy Into The Semifinals: Errani And Paolini Beat China

Sara Errani and Jasmine Paolini beat Guo Hanyu and Jiang Xinyu 6-3, 5-7, 6-3 in the decisive doubles, giving Italy a 2-1 win over China in the Billie Jean King Cup quarterfinals. At the Shenzhen Bay Sports Centre, they closed out a day that had started badly.

The opening singles match had finished 6-0, 6-2 for Zhang Shuai over Elisabetta Cocciaretto, who never got into the match. Paolini leveled things up, beating Zheng Qinwen 6-3, 7-6(4) in one hour and forty-two minutes. It was her first career win over the Chinese player, at the fifth attempt, and she took it in front of Zheng's home crowd.

Italy won the title in 2024 and 2025 and remains in contention for a third straight crown. The Errani-Paolini pairing keeps being the weapon that decides the rough days: once again the Italians went into the doubles on the back foot and came out standing.

On Saturday, September 26, the semifinal opponent is Ukraine, who eliminated Belgium 2-1 with the same script, the decisive doubles won by Anhelina Kalinina and Lyudmyla Kichenok. It's the second straight semifinal for the Ukrainians, and they arrive in Shenzhen with Elina Svitolina, who lost her singles match against Greet Minnen in the quarterfinals. It's a rematch of the 2025 semifinal, when Italy went through 2-1 thanks to Paolini's win over Svitolina and the doubles, before taking the trophy against the United States.