Italy upsets China to reach Billie Jean King Cup semis

Alsharq Tribune-AFP 

Defending champion Italy beat China 2-0 here on Tuesday to book a ticket in the Billie Jean King Cup semifinal.

World No. 8 Jasmine Paolini's comeback to overcome Wang Xinyu 4-6, 7-6 (4), 6-4 to seal the win for Italy after a marathon match into midnight. Wang led 4-2 in the third set only to see Paolini win four straight games to secure the victory.

An earlier match saw Elisabetta Cocciaretto edge Yuan Yue 4-6, 7-5, 7-5 in 2 hours and 52 minutes. Yuan held a 5-2 advantage in the third set before Cocciaretto won five games in a row.

"For sure, it was a tough match. I have to play my game, to think about just how to play the strategy against her. I tried to do it and I think it worked," Cocciaretto said.