Incredible Scenario in BJK Cup: Cocciaretto Comes Back from the Brink Against Yuan Yue and Brings Italy Closer to Qualification
In a thrilling Billie Jean King Cup match in Shenzhen, Elisabetta Cocciaretto achieved an incredible feat by overturning Yuan Yue. After trailing, the Italian demonstrated resilience to secure the first point for her team.
Deprived of Zheng Qinwen, the world No. 9 but still recovering from her right elbow injury, the Chinese team decided to field Yuan Yue for the first match against Elisabetta Cocciaretto in the face-off with Italy, the defending champion of this BJK Cup.
Pushed by her home crowd, the world No. 102 player hoped to set her team on the path to qualifying for the semifinals. On the other side, Cocciaretto, world No. 91, also aimed to put her country on the right track.
This match indeed seemed to be turning for a long time in favor of the Chinese player, who led 6-4, 5-2, before the Italian came back to level the score and eventually won five consecutive games to draw even at one set each.
But the spectators were not at the end of their surprises. Yuan Yue did not falter and quickly regained the upper hand in the decisive set, leading 4-0 and then again 5-2 in the third set.
However, the scenario of the previous set repeated itself, and the Chinese player faltered at the moment of concluding. Finally, on her first opportunity, Cocciaretto secured the first point for her team (4-6, 7-5, 7-5 in 2h52) before the match between Jasmine Paolini and Wang Xinyu.
