Swiatek leads Poland’s comeback against the Czechs to set up BJK Cup semi-final against Paolini’s Italy

MALAGA, Spain (AP) — Iga Swiatek won singles and doubles to lead Poland’s 2-1 comeback against the Czech Republic on Saturday in the Billie Jean King Cup.

Poland will meet Italy in the semi-finals after Jasmine Paolini also won her singles and doubles matches to lead Italy back for a 2-1 victory over Japan.

Marie Bouzkova defeated Magdalena Frech 6-1, 4-6, 6-4 to give the Czech Republic a 1-0 lead on the indoor hard court at the Palacio del Deportes in Malaga.

Second-ranked Swiatek leveled the score after holding on for a 7-6 (7), 4-6, 7-5 win over Linda Noskova.

The five-time Grand Slam winner returned to the court after a short break to help Katarzyna Kawa beat Katerina Siniakova, the world’s best doubles player, and Bouzkova 6-2, 6-4.

‘Let’s enjoy this. It was certainly an exhausting day and some very tough matches, but I am very happy that we won the last one,” said Swiatek.

She added that she had not played doubles in three years and praised Kawa’s well-placed passing shots in doubles as the key to the victory.

Swiatek showed no sign of being exhausted from the back-to-back matches that took a combined three hours and fifty minutes of playing time. The Polish duo converted all four break chances and hit more winners, 29-18, than the Czechs.

Poland is looking for its first title. The Czech Republic is an eleven-time champion, after the United States’ eighteen titles.

Italy eyes shot at consecutive finals

Fourth-ranked Paolini, a finalist at Wimbledon and the French Open, defeated Moyuka Uchijima 6-3, 6-4 to level the score at 1-1. She then helped Sara Errani defeat Shuko Aoyama and Eri Hozumi 6-3, 6-4 to seal victory in the quarterfinals.

Japan took an early lead as Ena Shibahara defeated Elisabetta Cocciaretto 3-6, 6-4, 6-4.

Uchijima stole Paolini’s first service game. But that was just a hiccup in an otherwise dominant performance from the Italian. Paolini broke Uchijima four times and hit 17 forehand winners to secure the straight-set victory.

In doubles, the Italians broke the Japanese four times and made only 14 unforced errors against 23 of their rivals.

“Japan is a tough cookie, as you say in English,” Italy captain Tathiana Garbin said. “They played with a lot of courage, so it was nice to watch this kind of level. My players played incredible doubles, so we made it.”

Italy lost last year’s final to Canada.

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