Malaga –Make Italy Great Again. With perseverance, with the ability to sew up stretch marks, with the clarity that dismantles opposing constructions. The girls who were no longer (for a long time) little women did it: not only to win the Fed Cup today Billie Jean Kingfor the fifth time, to become world champions, but to rise to the top at the same time as the boys. Together, without bothering Mina. Eleven years later, Italy’s women are back in command (Lea Pericolionly you were missing). And at least until Thursday evening the kingdom of tennis is blue. What women don’t say, they do. Slovakia go further.
Bronzetti: “Thanks to the sacrifices of mum and dad”
In 80 minutes (6-2,6-4) Lucia Bronzettidebutant, number 78 in the world, gets rid of the imposing Viktoria Hruncakova, n. 159 WTA, scoring 18 of the last 20 points. “I am proud to be part of this team and to have brought my contribution. I started playing late, at 10 years old, my family didn’t have much financial means, my dad is a fireman, mum is an employee, they took a camper to take me to tournaments. This success gives me confidence, I will work to improve at the net and to free myself from the monsters. In Rabat in May I was defending the title and I lost in the quarterfinals in the third set while I was winning 5-0. I say thanks to my teammates, to Jasmine who has improved a lot and to Sara who always has an intelligent vision of the game.”
Tennis, Italy wins the Billie Jean King Cup: Jasmine Paolini’s decisive point
Paolini: “We dedicate it to Tathiana Garbin”
Jasmine Paolininumber 4 in the world, in her 113th match of the season, got rid of Slovakian Rebecca Sramkova, number 43, in two sets (6-2, 6-1), who went off the rails in a match dominated by the Italian. His is a fierce and determined smile. “To close like this, with this title, is fantastic, I have no words. It’s our gift to Tathiana Garbinbelieved in us more than we did ourselves: no one gave us a lire, especially in comparison with the winning Italian teams of the past. We had seen the final with Russia in Cagliari, eleven years ago, I didn’t think it would happen then
At least for one day in tennis Italy is on top of the world at the same time. The gap is no longer there. It’s the first time, and yet italian girls they are not valkyries. As if to mean that in diversity you can be equal. Each with its own strengths and characteristics, without necessarily saying in modality Sinner. The USA, Australia, the Czech Republic and Russia had managed to assert themselves at the same time, but never Italy, as if the man-woman issue were a lift to the scaffold: if the girls went up, the boys went down. In Italian volleyball, never together. In cycling only in 2007, Paolo Bettini and Marta Bastianelli. Then the overtaking of the women’s movement while the men have not won a World Cup since 2008.
Italy’s provincial team wins
It’s provincial Italy. Lucia Bronzetti26 years old in December, lots of Romagna Mia, born in Rimini, raised in Villa Verrucchio, moved to Anzio by the Piccaris. Jasmine Paolini, 28 years old, born in Castelnuovo di Garfagnana to an Italian father and a Polish-Ghanaian mother, the girl who instead of abandoning herself at sunset, decides to be reborn and find dawns with the careful technical guidance of Renzo Furlan who gives her more solidity and depth. Sara Errani37 years old, the most successful Italian player with 28 successes, born in Bologna, but raised in Massa Lombarda, in the province of Ravenna, trained for some time by the Spaniard Paolo Lozano. Martina Trevisan31 years old, Florentine, father is a former footballer and mother is a tennis teacher, a brother is a former tennis player: she got her career back on track after dealing with anorexia, and played in a semi-final at Roland Garros. In the end Elisabetta Cocciaretto23 years old, from the Marche region of Porto San Giorgio, who trains in Formia with Fausto Scolari. Five years ago she was still a high school student when she entered the main draw in Rome.
Garbin: “The right time to leave”
Women who don’t belong to a group, of course. Garbin, the captain, even facing a tumor, never left them alone, followed them in tournaments, gave each of them a fire to light, took them to Serie C in 2017 and took them to two consecutive finals (l last year Italy was defeated by Canada). Now she says: “I dedicate the cup to these extraordinary girls who encouraged me, and to the medical staff who healed me. I know what these athletes had to overcome to be here and make the dream come true. They are an inspiration to those approaching tennis, they taught that you need to cultivate passion, apply yourself to improve, enjoy the journey. And they teach us to smile, above all. Now I hope it’s the boys’ turn, a year ago they dedicated their Davis to us, I haven’t forgotten it.” And then that sentence: “This would be the right time to leave, I wouldn’t know what to wish for more than that”.
The pioneers had also done well, Flavia PennettaRoberta Vinci, Francesca Schiavone and Sara Errani (she was always there), in an era when men’s tennis was dying, but they were red court players, while the current group wins on fast. Italy is the nation that has played in the most finals since 2000 (7).
And now it’s the men’s turn to defend the title
And now it’s the turn of the Italian boys in the quarterfinals against Argentina. Sinner, Musetti, BerrettiniVavassori and Bolelli are the five who will have to bring Davis back to Italy for the third time in history, after 1976 and 2023. It is the sixth match against Argentina with the Azzurri leading 3-2 and with the question: Jannik will he also play doubles? And if so, with whom?
Billie Jean King he personally put the blue champion jackets on all the blue ones. When you have a queen handing you her cloak what you have to do is walk humbly with your head held high.
In what ways does Billie Jean King’s involvement in the Italian women’s tennis team’s victory celebration demonstrate the broader impact of this achievement on the global recognition and progress of women’s sports?
## Thematic Sections and Open-Ended Discussion Questions
Here’s a breakdown of thematic sections and open-ended discussion questions based on the provided article:
**Section 1: The Triumph and Dedication**
* **Focus:** Paolini’s victory speech, the team’s dedication to Tathiana Garbin
* **Questions:**
* What does Jasmine Paolini’s quote about closing the season with this title mean to her and to the team?
* How significant is Tathiana Garbin’s role in this victory? What does it say about the importance of mentorship and belief in a team?
* Do you think the lack of recognition for the Italian women’s tennis team fueled their determination?
**Section 2: Italy’s Tennis Renaissance**
* **Focus:** Breaking barriers in Italian tennis, the collective achievement of men and women
* **Questions:**
* Why is it significant that Italy’s men and women’s tennis teams achieved success simultaneously? What does this say about the state of Italian tennis?
* The article mentions several past examples where Italian men triumphed while women struggled, and vice versa. What societal or cultural factors might have contributed to these imbalances?
**Section 3: The Provincial Powerhouse**
* **Focus:** Backgrounds and strengths of individual players, highlighting their diverse journeys
* **Questions:**
* How does the diversity of backgrounds and playing styles within the Italian women’s team contribute to their overall success?
* What challenges might these individuals have faced on their paths to becoming professional tennis players from “provincial Italy?”
**Section 4: Garbin’s Legacy and the Future**
* **Focus:** Garbin’s role as captain and mentor, her decision to step down and the future of Italian tennis
* **Questions:**
* Why do you think Garbin chose this moment to step down as captain? What message does her departure send to the team and to aspiring young players?
* How can the current success of the women’s team inspire the next generation of Italian tennis players?
* Can the Italian men’s team replicate the success of the women? What are some of the key challenges and opportunities they face?
**Section 5: Billie Jean King’s Recognition and the Bigger Picture**
* **Focus:** Symbolism of Billie Jean King’s involvement, broader implications for women’s tennis
* **Questions:**
* What does Billie Jean King’s participation in the celebration symbolize for Italian women’s tennis? What larger message does it send about the progress of women’s sports?
Through these open-ended questions and thematic organization, you can encourage a rich and multifaceted discussion about the historical significance of this victory, the depth of the Italian team’s success, and the future of Italian tennis.
