Paolini’s participation in the relay should come as no surprise. Since beginning her surprise ascent to the top of women’s tennis over the last three years, she has thrived when wearing her national colors. A gold medalist in women’s doubles at last summer’s Paris Olympics with Sara Errani in a first for Italy, she has also led the country to back-to-back Billie Jean King Cup titles.
This fall in Shenzhen, she secured Italy’s title defense with a heroic effort, going undefeated, winning two matches from big deficits, and clinching a 2-0 defeat of the United States with a win over Jessica Pegula. She battled back to win from a set and a break down against Wang Xinyu in Italy’s quarterfinal win against China, before doing the same against Elina Svitolina in the semifinals against Ukraine. In the deciding doubles match in that tie, she and Errani beat Lyudmyla Kichenok and Marta Kostyuk to steer Italy into the final.
“Playing for the national team, it’s something that I was watching, I was dreaming of doing,” Paolini said after Italy’s sixth all-time BJK Cup title, saying she hoped to inspire the next generation of Italian girls on the tennis court.
“Every time it’s [an] honor, of course, to represent Italy.”
