United Cup: Italy sweeps France 3-0 to win Group D
Jasmine Paolini defeated Chloe Pacquet after Flavio Cobolli completed a stunning comeback against Ugo Humbert as the Italians qualified for the quarter-finals
Jasmine Paolini, BJK Cup Finals, 2024 © Manu Fernandez/AP/SIPA
Italy swept France 3-0 on Tuesday, December 31, at Ken Rosewall Arena in Sydney, Australia, to win Group D and qualify for the quarter-finals of the 2025 United Cup. The 22-year-old Flavio Cobolli and world No 4 Jasmine Paolini contributed to Italy’s win against the French.
Cobolli staged a remarkable comeback against world No 14 Ugo Humbert to give Italy the lead and then Paolini doubled the advantage by downing Chloe Paquet. Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori completed the sweep by defeating the French pair of Elixane Lechemia and Edouard Roger-Vasselin.
Cobolli saves a match point
Cobolli couldn’t match Humbert’s intensity for the majority of the first and second sets but a match-point save in the second set tiebreaker turned the tide in the Italian’s favour.
Having lost the opening set, he stared at defeat, facing a match point at 7-8 in the tiebreaker but he managed to stay afloat and won the following three points to take the set.
The decider saw Cobolli raise his level dramatically as he allowed Humbert to hold serve only once and secured the match 3-6, 7-6 (8), 6-2 after toiling hard for two hours, four minutes.
“I think that we did a great match,” the Italian said after the match. “It was a great battle to start the season, so I’m really happy about the match. “I think I played a really good match and also it was tough to come back Ugo. Congrats also for him and I wish him good luck for his season.”
Paolini dishes out a bagel
Paolini needed only 61 minutes to end Paquet’s challenge and seal the tie for Italy. She did it in some style, dishing out a bagel in the opening set and breaking her opponent twice more in the second.
The WTA No 4 fared exceedingly well returning, averaging 56 percent and 63 percent on first and second-serve returns, respectively.
“I’m happy with my performance,” she said during her on-court interview. “I was focused every time. I think pretty well. I’m happy, as well, that Flavio won an amazing match. Unbelievable. He was a set and break down. He turned the match. Unbelievable.”
Paolini’s win meant Italy finished first in the Group A standings with two wins in as many round-robin ties. Switzerland occupied the second place, following by France in the third.
