Encouraging women—and also men—into other areas of tennis is vital to the growth of the sport, believes the trailblazer.

The recently-retired Frenchwoman took her own top prize for the way in which she honored her one-time rival's latest accomplishment.

Paolini led Italy to a 2-0 victory over the Slovaks, defeating Rebecca Sramkova to clinch her country's first team victory in over a decade.

After a heartbreaking defeat in April, the Ukrainians battled back to topple Austria, 3-2, in McKinney, Texas.

Paolini and Sara Errani defeated Swiatek and Katarzyna Kawa 7-5, 7-5 in the deciding doubles to put Italy through to the final for the second year in a row.