MALAGA, Spain (Kyodo) -- Japan lost to Italy 2-1 in the Billie Jean King Cup women's team tennis quarterfinals Saturday in Malaga, Spain.

After Ena Shibahara won her 2-hour, 44-minute opening singles match for Japan, world No. 4 Jasmine Paolini defeated 56th-ranked Moyuka Uchijima 6-3, 6-4 and returned to the court for a doubles win by the same score.

After being down 5-1 in the second set against Paolini and Sara Errani, Shuko Aoyama and Eri Hozumi kept Japan's semifinal hopes alive by winning three straight games but came up short in the end at Martin Carpena Arena.

Italy was last year's Billie Jean King Cup runner-up to Canada. Japan had come into the 12-team finals for the first time under the current tournament format that was introduced in 2020.

"I couldn't win points at crucial moments," Uchijima said. "I didn't play that bad. I think I gave her a good fight. This experience of playing one of the world's top players will definitely help my career."

Former world No. 1 Naomi Osaka was unable to play for Japan in the finals because of injury.

In the first match of the Japan-Italy tie, Shibahara came from a set down to beat Elisabetta Cocciaretto 3-6, 6-4, 6-4.