Ukraine, Italy to meet in Billie Jean King Cup semifinals

The Billie Jean King Cup semifinals are set.

Ukraine, playing without Marta Kostyuk, won the first tie on Thursday, defeating Belgium 2-1. Anhelina Kalinina gave Ukraine the early lead with a 6-7 (6), 6-1, 6-1 win over Jana Otzipka, handing the baton to World No. 7 Elina Svitolina to clinch it. But in one of the biggest WTA Tour Driven by Mercedes-Benz upsets of the year, World No. 217 Greet Minnen came from a set down to stun Svitolina 6-7 (5), 6-4, 6-4. It was only the second Top 10 win of her career, and the first since Wimbledon four years ago.

Despite holding the momentum going into the deciding rubber, Belgium ultimately fell short when Kalinina and Lyudmyla Kichenok beat Magali Kempen and Lara Salden 6-3, 6-3 in the winner-take-all doubles match.

The second semifinal in Shenzhen was even more dramatic. Home nation China took the 1-0 lead against two-time defending champion Italy when Zhang Shuai breezed past Elisabetta Cocciaretto 6-0 6-2. But Jasmine Paolini leveled it with a 6-3, 7-6 (4) win over Zheng Qinwen, coming off a quarterfinal run at the US Open.

In the decider, former French Open champions Paolini and Sara Errani topped Guo Hanyu and Jiang Xinyu 6-3, 5-7, 6-3 to send Italy back to the semifinals.

Paolini has now won 10 consecutive Billie Jean King Cup matches.

Ukraine and Italy will play for a spot in the final on Saturday, Sept. 26. It's a rematch of last year's semifinal, which Italy won 2-1. Paolini beat Svitolina in three sets to level that tie, and then Paolini and Errani won the third match. 

Earlier in the week, Czechia swept Great Britain and Spain beat an Elena Rybakina-less Kazakshtan. Their semifinal match will be on Friday, Sept. 25.

The final is scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 27.