Straight-set wins secure historic place
Ukraine reached the Billie Jean King Cup final for the first time on September 26, defeating two-time defending champion Italy 2-0 in Shenzhen, China. Anhelina Kalinina delivered the opening point before Elina Svitolina completed the semifinal victory with a commanding win over Jasmine Paolini.
Kalinina, ranked 48th in the world, beat Tyra Grant 6-3, 6-4 in 86 minutes. Grant, ranked 150th, was making her competition debut for Italy. The result placed Ukraine one win from the final and continued Kalinina’s productive week after she had contributed singles and doubles victories against Belgium in the quarterfinal.
Svitolina then beat Paolini 6-2, 6-2. The world number seven built an early two-break advantage and closed the first set in 31 minutes. She carried that momentum into the second, winning seven consecutive games across the two sets as she moved 4-0 ahead. The match ended three games after Paolini briefly stopped that run.
Paolini entered the tie having won her previous 10 Billie Jean King Cup matches. Her loss was her first in the competition since 2024. Italy had been seeking a fourth consecutive final and a third title in a row, but Ukraine reversed the outcome of the teams’ semifinal meeting a year earlier.
Svitolina answers last year’s defeat
The victory carried particular meaning for Svitolina, who had lost to Paolini at the same stage in the previous edition. She said afterward that the earlier defeat had sharpened her focus. Her latest win was the 20th Billie Jean King Cup victory of her career.
Svitolina has also supported Ukraine’s national team financially and operationally through her foundation for the past three years. She described the first final as a special moment for a country enduring difficult conditions at home. The result adds a national-team milestone to a career in which she remains Ukraine’s highest-ranked player.
Ukraine advanced after beating Belgium 2-1 in the quarterfinal. Svitolina had lost her singles match in that tie, increasing the pressure on the other Ukrainian results, but she responded against Italy with a performance that gave Paolini little opportunity to extend the semifinal. Because Ukraine won both singles rubbers, no doubles decider was required.
The final was scheduled for September 27 at Shenzhen Bay Sports Centre against the Czech Republic. The Czech lineup included Wimbledon finalists Linda Noskova and Karolina Muchova, presenting another demanding assignment. Regardless of the championship result, the semifinal established a new best Billie Jean King Cup finish for Ukraine and ended the defending champion’s run before the title match.
