Sara Errani says she simply felt like going for an underarm serve and that’s why she pulled it off at Iga Swiatek on a match point for Italy.
After earning a match point, the 37-year-old delivered an underarm serve – which the five-time Grand Slam champion managed to return. But in the rally, the former world No. 5 came up with a great lob that forced the Polish tennis star to make an error as Errani and Jasmine Paolini completed a 7-5 7-5 win over Swiatek and Katarzyna Kawa.
Since it was the deciding rubber of their matchup in Malaga, Italy progressed into the final at the Billie Jean King Cup Finals.
Later, the 2012 French Open finalist was asked what led to her deciding to serve underarm on a match point.
Indomitable Italy! 🇮🇹
Errani and Paolini come back from being down 1-5 to win the second set 7-5 and secure the tie 2-0 for @federtennis 🤯#BJKCup pic.twitter.com/oRgPqJX7OP
— Billie Jean King Cup (@BJKCup) November 18, 2024
“I feel it and I did it. I just advised Jasmine after [the] first serve, so it’s just I feel it and I did it, just like that, not thinking too much. Playing for our country, for Italy, it’s always really special. So I have to thank Tathi [Garbine] to make me be in the team again. I’m very happy, I’m very proud to be part of this team. Was a special day today. We fight a lot,” Errani said.
Sara Errani and Jasmine Paolini© Billie Jean King Cup/Instagram – Fair Use
Errani and Paolini were down in both sets but still won in two sets
Through the first nine games of the match, Swiatek and Kawa led 5-4 but without breaks. Then, the Polish duo earned three set points on the Italian team’s serve – but didn’t realize any of them.
The price was paid after Errani and Paolini got the first break of the match in the 11th game and closed out the opener in the following game.
Early in the second set, Swiatek and Kawa were down by a break but bounced back with three breaks in a row to go 5-1 up. Just when it appeared that the match was easily going three sets, the Polish team suffered a stunning collapse and lost the next six games.