Olympic gold medalists Sara Errani and Jasmine Paolini sealed Italy’s spot in the semifinals of the Billie Jean King Cup Finals on Saturday. The third-seeded Italians became the first nation into this year’s Final Four by battling past Japan in the day’s opening tie.

After the teams split the two singles matches, Errani and Paolini continued their stellar 2024 with a 6-3, 6-4 victory over Shuko Aoyama and Eri Hozumi, clinching the quarterfinal clash 2-1 in Malaga, Spain.

The Olympic champions fell behind an early break in the doubles rubber, but they quickly regrouped. Errani and Paolini broke serve four times in the Japanese tandem’s next six trips to the line, and Errani served for the match at 6-3, 5-2.

Aoyama and Hozumi made a late charge, winning two games in a row to make the third set closer, but the Italians would not be denied. Behind strong Paolini serves and sturdy Errani net play, they served out the match comfortably to advance in the prestigious team competition.

Italy is still in contention for their fifth Billie Jean King Cup title, all of which have come in the last 20 years. They took the title for the first time in 2006 and added crowns in 2009, 2010 and 2013. Italy nearly hoisted the trophy last year, but they fell to Canada in the 2023 final.

Japan’s Ena Shibahara initially made Italy’s path to the semifinals quite difficult on Saturday. Shibahara added another plaudit to her breakthrough year in singles with a 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 win over Elisabetta Cocciaretto in the day’s first match.

Shibahara has been one of the world’s Top 20 doubles players for the last four years, but she had never cracked the Top 400 in singles before this year. Shibahara has focused more on singles in 2024, rising to No.135, and she is 2-0 in singles this week. Shibahara outlasted former Top 30 player Cocciaretto in 2 hours and 44 minutes to start Saturday.

Paolini, however, turned things back in the Italians’ favor. In the second singles match, the World No.4 took 1 hour and 15 minutes to best Moyuka Uchijima 6-3, 6-4 and level the tie. Paolini, this year’s Roland Garros and Wimbledon finalist, converted three of her nine break points while only dropping serve once against World No.56 Uchijima.