Jasmine Paolini-inspired Italy retained their Billie Jean King Cup title in clinical fashion with a 2-0 win over the USA in Sunday’s final in Shenzhen, China.
Elisabetta Cocciaretto set the holders on their way by seeing off Emma Navarro 6-4 6-4 before Paolini, the star of Italy’s title-winning success in Malaga last year, emphatically defeated Jessica Pegula to seal victory.
Pegula had all won all five of her previous singles meetings with Paolini but it was the Italian who came out on top in the eagerly-anticipated battle between the two highest-ranked players at the 2025 Finals, winning 6-4 6-2.
That secured a sixth world title for Italy, all of which have come since 2006, while the USA’s bid for a record-extending 19th crown goes on.
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Billie Jean King Cup 2025 Final: USA fail to extend record streak
Team USA’s only BJK Cup success in the last 25 years came in 2017 while they had not reached a final in the last eight years, but a strong line-up including World No. 7 Pegula, World No. 18 Navarro and doubles number one Taylor Townsend had seen them overpower Kazakhstan and Great Britain to reach Sunday’s showpiece.
However, the tournament’s most successful nation proved no match for the BJK Cup’s current standard bearers Italy, playing in their third consecutive final after seeing off hosts China and Ukraine this week.
Paolini said on court after her Cup-winning victory over Pegula: “It’s amazing, I didn’t expect that.
“I just want to thank all the team, the players, the support team, captain, everybody who is here, and the crowd of course.
“It’s been a really great week, it’s an amazing competition to play in. This year we played amazing teams, they were very strong.”
MORE: Latest tennis news | What is the Billie Jean King Cup?
Italy build on flying start from Cocciaretto
Italy could not have made a better start on Sunday with World No. 91 Cocciaretto breaking Navarro in the very first game of the final.
That ended up proving decisive as the rest of the opening set went with serve to leave Cocciaretto holding the early advantage.
Navarro had won both her singles matches in Shenzhen after being taken to three sets and this contest looked poised to go the distance too, as the 24-year-old American broke Cocciaretto in the sixth game of the second set and was then serving to go 5-2 up.
However, Cocciaretto broke back immediately and the chance was lost for Navarro, with the Italian winning four successive games to clinch the set and the match.
An emotional Cocciaretto, who like Paolini was a member of the Italy side that finished runners-up in 2023 before lifting the title last year, said after the match: “My reaction was, yes, almost I was crying. But I said to myself keep the emotion.
“I played a really great match against a really tough opponent, so I’m super happy and super proud to take the first point for Italy.”
Match point celebrations with Team Italy 🇮🇹🥹@federtennis | #BJKCup pic.twitter.com/DXA6Ibu6Xt
— Billie Jean King Cup (@BJKCup) September 21, 2025
Paolini beats Pegula to win BJK Cup for Italy
That set the scene for the mouthwatering clash between Top. 10 rivals, Pegula and Paolini.
The American boasted a 5-0 head-to-head record against Paolini but their last meeting was in 2023 and the 29-year-old World No. 8 is a very different proposition these days.
The reigning Olympic and French Open doubles champion shone in the 2024 BJK Cup Finals and she had been similarly talismanic in Shenzhen, winning all three of her singles and doubles matches heading into the final.
She was taken to three sets in both her singles wins over Wang Xinyu and Elina Svitolina after dropping the first set, but had no such problems against Pegula.
Paolini broke Pegula in the final game of the opening set to take control and hammered home that advantage in the second set, breaking her opponent twice to move 5-1 up and, although Pegula saved three match points, salvation proved short-lived for the Americans.
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