BILLIE JEAN KING CUP

November 16, 2024

Tathiana Garbin

Jasmine Paolini

Sara Errani

Team Italy

Press Conference

ERRANI-PAOLINI/Aoyama-Hozumi

6-3, 6-4

Team Japan - 1

Team Italy - 2

THE MODERATOR: We will start with English questions.

Q. Many congratulations. Jasmine, can you just talk about the day you had, having to come in with Italy 1-0 down and win both singles and doubles, like you're one of those players now who has that responsibility? What's that like?

JASMINE PAOLINI: Yeah, it was tough. The first match was really, really tight, and maybe we had some chances in the second set for the first match, but it's tough.

Shibahara played really, really great match. I was watching of course from the locker rooms, and I was, like, hoping that Elisabetta is going to bring the point.

But, you know, it's not easy to play this kind of competition. It's not easy to play Shibahara, because she's playing really well, I think, on this kind of surface that's really fast and with those kind of balls, as well.

I'm happy that I managed to step on court, really focus, and, you know, not too nervous, but I think I was balanced with the focus and nerves.

Yeah, I think I played a good match. Wasn't easy as well for me because you enter like 0-1. But I'm happy with singles and of course with doubles.

Q. I think the doubles was your 110th match this year.

JASMINE PAOLINI: (Laughter.)

Q. Are you tired? Where are you finding this energy?

JASMINE PAOLINI: I'm trying to not think about how many matches I played, but, you know, I tried to have the energy today. Of course it helps to have the bench full of, you know, the team supporting us, so I think today I had some energy, yeah, so I hope that next match is going to be the same (smiling).

Q. Sara, for you, it's your first Billie Jean King Cup match and win for five years. Have you missed this feeling?

SARA ERRANI: Yes, I miss it a lot. Of course playing for our country, for Italy, it's always been so special for me.

I'm really happy to be here again, and of course to help the team to won this tie was so good. So we are very happy, but we are still focused to recover, practice tomorrow, and be ready after tomorrow.

Q. Tathiana, from your perspective, what was today like? Looking ahead to the semifinals, can you talk a little bit about both possible opponents?

CAPTAIN TATHIANA GARBIN: Yeah, first match was very tight. We have a lot of chance, but I have to tell and we have to know that our opponent, they play a great match with a lot of courage, pushing and hitting the ball very high. As Jasmine said before, in this condition, I think Japan, she is a tough cookie, how you say in English (smiling).

Yeah, they really played a great match, so it was fun to stay there and watch all this kind of level. I think was a great level about everyone. In doubles, also. My players, they played an unbelievable doubles. So we done it. We made it. It was pretty good.

About the semifinal, as I always said, I try to watch my team and try to be ready for the next hour and recovery and do as maximum as we can to try to be ready in the next two days (smiling).

Q. Jasmine, if you do play Iga Swiatek in the semifinal, what have you learnt from the matches you have had against her? What's going to be the key for you?

JASMINE PAOLINI: I mean, in Paris I think it's totally different condition. If I play against her, I hope it's going to be better than Paris, because in Paris was really, really tough.

But, you know, we have to wait. We have to wait, because we don't know the result of the other match. I think it's going to be a really tough match, as well, because Czech Republic has a lot of good players. We'll see.

I think we are tomorrow doing the maximum to recovery and to prepare the match. We'll see. I hope to play better than Paris if I play Iga.

Q. Congratulations to you both. A question for both of you, actually. What is it that you love so much about playing doubles with each other? Another fantastic performance from you both today.

JASMINE PAOLINI: I have fun (smiling). No, I have fun. I didn't like to play doubles. Like two, three years ago I was hating to play doubles, but, you know, we started to play, and I learn a lot from her. I know better what to do into the court, because before, I was feeling, like, what I'm doing here (laughter)?

But now I'm a little bit more, you know, like, I don't know, I know more what I have to do, you know, because she's telling me (smiling).

So she's the boss. As I say always, she's the boss. She's telling me what I have to do. We have fun together. We had some great tournaments, some great weeks.

Yeah, let's keep playing.

SARA ERRANI: Yes, I think we are having fun, like how she said, Jasmine. I think we have the confidence to tell each other in every moment what we think and what we think is better to do.

I think we are a good combination. She's killing the ball and trying to be more in the net, so we try to find that situation the most that we can. Yes, we had an amazing year, yes.