Jasmine Paolini delivered a masterful performance to guide Italy to their fifth Billie Jean King Cup title, defeating Rebecca Sramkova 6-2, 6-1 in the second singles match to secure a 2-0 victory over Slovakia in the final on Wednesday.

A year after Italy's heart-wrenching loss to Canada in the championship match and more than a decade since their last title in 2013, the dynamic Paolini overpowered Sramkova, celebrating exuberantly with her teammates and the enthusiastic Italian fans, including men's world No. 1 Jannik Sinner.

Slovakia, the underdogs who had previously stunned Britain en route to the final, struggled against a dominant Italy, who started strong with Lucia Bronzetti's commanding 6-2, 6-4 win over Viktoria Hruncakova in the opening match.

"It's unbelievable, amazing, I can't find the words to express how I feel right now, it's just incredible," an emotional Paolini said on court. "I believe we played an extraordinary week and I'm incredibly proud of our performance in every match. I'm thrilled that this year we were able to bring the title back to Italy."

Paolini had suffered a 6-2, 6-3 defeat to Canada's Leylah Fernandez in last year's final in Seville. However, this time, as a Wimbledon and Roland Garros finalist over the past six months, Paolini showcased a commanding display against the 43rd-ranked Sramkova, who battled through cramps during the second set.

"I think last year Leylah [Fernandez] played exceptionally well, she outperformed me. That's sometimes how it goes in sports," Paolini said. "Today, as I stepped onto the court, I told myself I would give it my all... if you win, you win. But if you lose, you have to accept it. We fought for every point and today, it worked out for us."

Italy's flawless day began with a stellar performance from Bronzetti, who was playing only her second BJK Cup singles match, following her debut victory in the semi-final against Poland.

Meanwhile, Emma Raducanu will commence preparations for 2025 after Great Britain's BJK Cup semi-final loss to Slovakia marked the end of her season. Raducanu won all three of her matches in Málaga in straight sets, returning from another injury layoff after spraining ligaments in her foot two months prior.

Despite not being a disappointing year for the 22-year-old, who has demonstrated encouraging consistency on court, questions linger about her scheduling and physical resilience. She confirmed discussions with fitness trainer Yutaka Nakamura, and a permanent appointment in that area would undoubtedly be a significant step forward.

"I think I delivered some strong performances on the court this week," she said. "I played three matches, which is great for me. I haven't played in a while, so I believe scoring a point and getting back on the board was beneficial. The positives to take are, physically, I held up pretty well. It didn't take me long to regain that match sharpness."

The disappointment for her GB teammate Katie Boulter was palpable after narrowly missing out on taking Britain to the final, but she can reflect with pride on her accomplishments in 2024. She secured two WTA Tour titles, including her first at the 500 level in San Diego, and is concluding the year ranked among the world's top 25.

"It's going to be crucial for me to take a moment for myself, recall what I've achieved this year," said the 28-year-old. "I have two titles to my name. I'm at a career-high ranking. This week has also been fantastic for me. I've had some really good wins. I really want to build on that next year, and I genuinely feel I can push forward."

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