Billie Jean King Cup: Holders Italy survive China scare to reach semi-finals

Defending champions Italy reached the semi-finals of the Billie Jean King Cup after defeating host nation China in the opening quarter-final.

Elisabetta Cocciaretto fought back from a set and 5-2 down to beat Yuan Yue 4-6 7-5 7-5 in the opener before world number eight Jasmine Paolini recovered from a similar predicament to see off Wang Xinyu 4-6 7-6 (4) 6-4 to send the holders through.

Cocciaretto, ranked 91st in the world, took on Yuan in the first match in Shenzhen Bay and dropped the first set in front of a local crowd naturally allied with her opponent.

World number 102 Yuan served for the match at 5-3 in the second set and 5-4 in the decider but Cocciaretto broke back both times before going on to win the match.

Cocciaretto said: “For sure it was a tough match. I knew that was a tough opponent and of course, tough conditions because we are playing against the host country.

“I said to myself to turn up the match and just think about the game and just the strategy and not about the results and the score.

“At the beginning I wasn’t aggressive and she’s a really aggressive player.

“I have to play my game, to think about the strategy to play against her and not think something else. I tried to do it and I think it works.

“I’m really happy about the fight and about the match that I’ve won for Italy.”

Two-time grand slam singles finalist Paolini then faced Shenzhen-born Wang in the second match and again it was the Chinese player who took the opening set.

Wang, ranked 34th in the world, served for the match at 5-4 in the second set but Paolini broke back before clinching the tie-break from her third set point.

The home hope took a 4-2 lead in the decider but Paolini reeled off four games in a row to avoid a deciding doubles contest.

Paolini said: “It was a really tough day. Two matches, both really tough. Both of them we almost lost the match and somehow we turned it around.

“I think we fought until the last ball, the last point. We stayed there for our bench, for our country. It was tough, but we did it. We are really, really happy and proud of ourselves.

“I was telling to myself that I have to stay there, to think about what I have to do with more positivity.

“I stepped on court and I think I was a bit nervous, I couldn’t focus on my game 100 per cent and that’s why I think my level was a little bit going up and down.

“Hopefully for the next round I’m going to be more positive, more relaxed and enjoy more the match because we have to raise the level a little bit in the semi-final.”