Italy recovers to beat host China 2-1 and reach another Billie Jean King Cup semifinal

SHENZHEN, China (AP) — Jasmine Paolini won both her singles and doubles matches Thursday to help Italy beat host China 2-1 in the Billie Jean King Cup quarterfinals.

Italy — the two-time defending champion — was trailing 1-0 after Zhang Shuai defeated Elisabetta Cocciaretto 6-0, 6-2 to delight the home supporters.

But Paolini then beat Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen 6-3, 7-6 (4) and teamed up with Sara Errani to defeat Guo Hanyu and Jiang Xinyu 6-3, 5-7, 6-3 in their doubles match to win the tie.

It was the 30-year-old Paolini’s ninth successive match win in the tournament.

Italy faces Ukraine in the semifinals for the second successive year. The semifinals are scheduled for Saturday with the final to be played Sunday.

Ukraine recovered from an upset to beat Belgium 2-1 earlier Thursday.

Doubles pair Anhelina Kalinina and Lyudmyla Kichenok beat Magali Kempen and Lara Salden 6-3, 6-3 to clinch the win and send Ukraine to the semifinals for just the second time.

Seventh-ranked Elina Svitolina was upset by Greet Minnen. Svitolina won the first set 7-6 (5) but Minnen, ranked 217th, came back 6-4, 6-4 in the final two sets to send the series to a deciding doubles match.

Kalinina had given Ukraine a 1-0 lead with a 6-7 (6), 6-1, 6-1 win over Jana Otzipka. The 474th-ranked Otzipka had 16 double faults.

Earlier in the week, Spain advanced to the semis with a 2-1 win over Kazakhstan. On Friday, the Spaniards will face Czech Republic, which beat Britain 2-0 in their quarterfinal.

That left the Czechs on course for a 12th title in the competition previously called Fed Cup. The United States, which did not qualify for the finals, won a record 18 titles.

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