Final Preview: Slovakia v Italy

By the end of this evening either Slovakia or Italy will have the much-coveted title of 2024 world champions. So, glory, prestige and a place in history is what is at stake.

For Italy, victory would hand them their fifth Billie Jean King Cup title and their first since 2013. They are bidding to become only the sixth nation to win the title on five or more occasions.

Italy finished runners-up 12 months ago after losing to Canada in the final. Needless to say, they will not want to go so close again without getting their hands on silverware.

Slovakia, meanwhile, are bidding to win the Billie Jean King Cup for the second time having stunned the world to top the competition podium in 2002 after beating Spain in the final in Gran Canaria. This is already their best result in the competition since that triumph.

As well as the title, there is also the small matter of prize money. Once again, it is an equivalent level of prize money to that awarded at the Davis Cup Final 8.

Thanks to the support of title sponsor Gainbridge, the total player prize money on offer at the Finals is $9.6m, with the world champions being awarded $2.4m.

Just as with Canada 12 months ago, the winning nation will also don the iconic Billie Blue jackets, designed by the competition’s global partner Tory Burch. 

This will be the fourth Billie Jean King Cup match-up between Slovakia and Italy and a second in consecutive years after they met during the 2023 Qualifiers in Bratislava – a showdown that Italy won.

Slovakia won the first two meetings between the teams, in the 2002 semi-finals en route to their title-win and in a 2017 World Group II tie.

It is interesting to note that Slovakia have never lost a Billie Jean King Cup tie in Spain. Including their three victories this week against USA, Australia and Great Britain, they have won a further three ties in Spain over the years, the most famous being the 2002 final in Gran Canaria.

By this stage of proceedings, a nation’s combinations tend to be known so we are very likely to see Viktoria Hruncakova take on Lucia Bronzetti in the opening singles and Rebecca Sramkova face Jasmine Paolini in the second.

World No. 78 Bronzetti was in stunning form as she beat Poland’s Magda Linette in the opening singles match of Italy’s semi-final win – and that was her first-ever Billie Jean King Cup singles match.

Hruncakova is far more experienced in the competition and had recorded six successive Billie Jean King Cup match-wins until being defeated by Great Britain’s Emma Raducanu in the semis. She did, however, recover to play a starring role alongside Tereza Mihalikova in doubles.

It is interesting to note that Sramkova has played world No. 4 Paolini on six occasions and won four of those encounters, although the Italian has won the two most recent meetings. Nevertheless, Sramkova has pedigree in that particular fight.

Both nations also have tried and tested doubles pairings at the Finals with Hruncakova and Mihalikova winning twice here in Malaga and Olympic champions Paolini and Sara Errani once. 

Errani is a three-time Billie Jean King Cup champion, having been a member of the Italian teams that won titles in 2009, 2010 and 2013,

In short, it is a tough one to call.

Slovakia captain Matej Liptak (SVK): “This is a special moment for our country, for our players and for tennis in Slovakia. All my girls will be legends now. Even if they don’t finish it, this is a really special moment for them and for our country. Everyone will know who was in this team. But we will try to go one more match.”

Jasmine Paolini (ITA) after her doubles triumph alongside Sara Errani in the semi-finals: “I have to say that the team and the bench full of the whole team was supporting us. It helped me with the energy. When you play for your nation, you have extra motivation.”