Shenzhen (China) (AFP) - Two-time major singles finalist Jasmine Paolini vowed Monday to “fight until the last ball” as she hopes to guide Italy to a second consecutive Billie Jean King Cup title this week in Shenzhen.

The Italians are looking to become the first country to successfully defend their crown in the women’s team competition since the Czech Republic in 2016 and kick off their campaign on Tuesday against hosts China.

Paolini was the star of the Italian squad in the Finals last November, winning four of the five matches she played in Malaga to help her nation clinch a fifth BJK Cup and first since 2013.

A two-time Grand Slam singles finalist and reigning Olympic doubles champion alongside compatriot Sara Errani, Paolini is expected to line up against China’s Wang Xinyu in the quarter-finals on Tuesday.

“I’m always looking forward to playing this kind of competition. I really like it, it’s an honour,” Paolini, the world number eight, told reporters.

“I’m going to fight until the last ball.”

In the absence of Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen, who is recovering from elbow surgery, Wang Xinyu is China’s top player this week in Shenzhen.

Ranked 34 in the world, Wang was a silver medallist in mixed doubles last year at the Paris Olympics and won the 2023 French Open women’s doubles title alongside Hsieh Su-wei of Taiwan.

The 23-year-old Shenzhen native Wang takes a 1-1 head-to-head record into her expected clash with Paolini.

“Playing her here I think is something really different,” said Wang. “For me it’s the first time playing the Billie Jean King Cup Final and also I’m playing at home. I’m really looking forward to it.”

USA captain Lindsay Davenport is happy she has a deep squad to rely on.

Australian Open champion Madison Keys withdrew and has been replaced by tournament debutant McCartney Kessler.

Spearheaded by world number seven Jessica Pegula – the highest-ranked player in Shenzhen this week – Team USA will take on an Elena Rybakina-led Kazakhstan in the quarter-finals on Thursday.

“I expect that Rybakina and (Yulia) Putintseva will be playing singles for them. We’ll go over all of our lineups and matchups. I’m so blessed to have such a deep team and so many options,” said Davenport.

The BJK Cup Finals has moved up in the calendar and is scheduled from September 16-21 as opposed to its typical end-of-season November slot, a change that has been given the thumbs-up from many players and captains, including Davenport and Pegula.

“Every single lady up here said yes immediately,” said Davenport.

“It seems schedule-wise this is fitting in a lot better for the players.”

In other quarter-final action, a returning Paula Badosa, who has been out with a back injury since Wimbledon, will lead Spain against a strong Ukraine on Wednesday.

Last year’s semi-finalists Great Britain will be without Emma Raducanu in their clash against Japan, who are missing four-time major winner Naomi Osaka, on Thursday.

Fixtures:

Italy v China, Ukraine v Spain, USA v Kazakhstan, Japan v Great Britain