The Polish tennis players fought an exciting battle against the Italians, but ultimately, they couldn’t defeat their opponents to advance to the Billie Jean King Cup final. Standing in the way of the “White-and-Reds” was Jasmine Paolini, who, although she lost her singles match to Iga Świątek, rose to the occasion in doubles alongside Sara Errani. After the competition, she acknowledged her Polish roots and admitted that many Poles were supporting the tennis players.
The Polish tennis team once again delivered thrilling moments for the fans. On Monday, the “White-and-Reds” faced the Italian team in Malaga, with a place in the 2024 Billie Jean King Cup final at stake. After two singles matches, the score was tied, so the doubles match was the decider. Iga Świątek and Katarzyna Kawa faced off against Sara Errani and Jasmine Paolini.
The match was full of twists and turns. Both pairs had their chances. In the seventh game, there was a crucial exchange involving Świątek and Paolini. The Polish player delivered a very good shot, and the Italian made a double hit, which was immediately noticed by the umpire.
Since the incident happened at deuce, the decisive point went to the Polish team, who took a 4-3 lead in the opening set. However, the Italians did not agree with the umpire’s decision.
Paolini and Errani approached the umpire, insisting that he was wrong. Italy’s captain, Tathiana Garbin, was also convinced that her team’s leader had hit the ball cleanly. Poland’s captain, Dawid Celt, calmly presented his perspective.
Although the replay clearly showed that Paolini had hit the ball twice with her racket, she refused to admit the error. The umpire did not change his decision, and the point, along with the game, went to the Polish team.
The “White-and-Reds” might regret not capitalizing on their opportunities. In the opening set, they had three set points. In the second set, they were leading 5-1. However, the Italians ultimately triumphed 7-5, 7-5, and advanced to the final on Wednesday.
