Elina Svitolina secured Ukraine's place in the Billie Jean King Cup final for the first time by defeating Italy's Jasmine Paolini 6-2, 6-2 in the semifinals held Saturday in Shenzhen, China. Svitolina's victory marked a significant moment for the Ukrainian team, which managed to outplay two-time defending champion Italy. Earlier, Anhelina Kalinina contributed to the win by beating Tyra Caterina Grant 6-3, 6-4.
Read More
This win was especially emotional for Svitolina, who celebrated by slamming her racket on the court, reflecting the high stakes of the match. It was a turnaround for Svitolina, who had lost to Paolini in last year's competition. Ukraine will now face the Czech Republic in the final.
Meanwhile, Aryna Sabalenka, who began 2026 as the world No. 1, faced scrutiny after completing the four Grand Slams without adding another title to her name. Caitlin Thompson expressed concerns in her analysis that Sabalenka's rivals may have started to decipher her game, indicating a potential decline in her form.