Italy vs Japan Prediction Billie Jean King Cup Finals Tennis Picks 11/16/24

Last year's runners-up, Italy, will kick off their bid to win the Billie Jan King for a fifth time on Saturday.

It's pretty much the same team from last year when they lost out to Canada.

Jasmine Paolini will spearhead the line in singles. She is currently ranked at World No. 4 in the official WTA rankings and is coming off the best season of her career.

Paolini will be joined by Elisabetta Cocciaretto, Lucia Bronzetti, Martina Trevisan, and her tour doubles partner Sara Errani in a very strong-looking Italian team.

Japan Billie Jean King Cup Team Facts

Japan pulled off a stunning win over Romania to reach the last eight.

Even without key player Naomi Osaka, team captain Ai Sugiyama was rewarded for making bold decisions.

Picking Ena Shibahara to play singles proved to be a masterstroke as the doubles specialist scored her first win in singles in the competition by beating Jacqueline Cristian and leveling the tie.

Japan sealed the tie by winning the decisive doubles match, with Shuko Aoyama and Eri Hozumi dragging their country into the quarterfinal.

Italy vs Japan Billie Jean King Cup Head-To-Head

• Italy and Japan have never met in this competition in the past.

• Italy are four-time champions of the BJK Cup, last winning it in 2013.

• Japan's best achievement was in reaching the semifinals back in 1996.

Italy vs Japan Billie Jean King Cup Prediction

Since 2023, Japan have now accumulated six wins at the BJK Cup, although most of these victories were at regional level against inferior opponents. But beating a much-fancied Romanian team on Thursday indicates they cannot be underestimated. Italy's team captain, Tathiana Garbin, has a wealth of options at her disposal to avoid a potentially decisive doubles rubber. Paolini holds the keys to victory here, but she'll need a team effort to guide her country into the last four.