(Reuters) -Defending champions Italy booked their place in the Billie Jean King Cup semi-finals by defeating hosts China 2-0 after world number eight Jasmine Paolini battled past Wang Xinyu 4-6 7-6(4) 6-4 in Shenzhen on Tuesday.
Earlier, Elisabetta Cocciaretto produced a gritty comeback to edge out Yuan Yue 4-6 7-5 7-5, rallying from a set and 2-5 down and 0-4 behind in the decider to give Italy the opening point. Both matches lasted nearly three hours.
Paolini had looked on the brink of defeat when trailing 3-5 in the second set, but the Italian broke back and dominated the tiebreak before withstanding a third-set surge from Wang to seal victory.
Italy next play the winners of Wednesday’s quarter-final between five-times champions Spain and Ukraine.
(Reporting by Shifa Jahan in Bengaluru, editing by Ed Osmond)
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