Slovakia beat Australia to reach BJK Cup semis
- 3 hours ago
Slovakia overcame Australia 2-0 on Sunday to reach the semi-finals of the Billie Jean King Cup.
The country of 5.4 million, which beat the United States in the first round, is into the semi-finals of the competition for the first time since 2013.
Viktoria Hruncakova and Rebecca Sramkova both won their singles ties to give Slovakia an unassailable lead ahead of the scheduled doubles match.
World number 241 Hruncakova emerged victorious against Kimberly Birrell 7-5, 6-7 (4/7), 6-3 after over two-and-a-half hours on court to give the central European country the lead over Australia.
Sramkova then needed just over an hour to win 6-1, 6-2 against former world number 32 Ajla Tomljanovic, who injured her knee in the third game of the first set.
Earlier, five-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek clinched back-to-back wins to lead Poland into their first Billie Jean King Cup semi-final on Saturday.
Swiatek, the world number two in singles but playing her first doubles match in the tournament since 2019, teamed with Katarzyna Kawa to defeat Marie Bouzkova and Katerina Siniakova 6-2, 6-4 to complete a comeback 2-1 victory over the Czech Republic.
In Monday’s semi-finals, Poland will face 2023 runners-up Italy who earlier edged out Japan 2-1.
The Czechs had claimed the first point of the quarter-final when Bouzkova defeated Magdalena Frech 6-1, 4-6, 6-4.
Swiatek, however, levelled the tie with a 7-6 (7/4), 4-6, 7-5 triumph over Linda Noskova before returning to the court to help sweep the deciding doubles.
Like Swiatek, Jasmine Paolini was a also a two-time winner Saturday as she starred for Italy in their win over Japan.
Ena Shibahara won the opening singles after recovering to beat Elisabetta Cocciaretto 3-6, 6-4, 6-4, but French Open and Wimbledon runner-up Paolini levelled the tie with a 6-3, 6-4 win over Moyuka Uchijima.
World number four Paolini then teamed up with Sara Errani to defeat Japanese pair Shuko Aoyama and Eri Hozumi 6-3, 6-4 in the decisive doubles rubber.
Japan were without Naomi Osaka, who called time on her season in October because of injury. Italy, who lost last year’s final to Canada, have won the BJK Cup on four occasions, the last coming in 2013. Canada face Britain while Australia take on Slovakia in the remaining quarter-finals on Sunday.
Meanwhile, Spanish superstar Rafael Nadal is aiming to cap his emotional farewell from tennis with another Davis Cup triumph in Malaga next week.
Nadal, 38, has battled injuries over the past few years and the extent to which he can compete for his country is unknown, but all eyes will be on the 22-time Grand Slam winner.
The veteran led Spain to victory in Madrid five years ago -- the last time they won the trophy and Nadal’s fourth.
However, he admitted Saturday that his role in Malaga may be limited to doubles rather than singles.
“First off, we’ll have to see how I feel in training and, if I really don’t feel I have a chance to win the singles, I’ll be the first to not want to play,” Nadal said in comments to the Spanish Tennis Federation (RFET).
“If I don’t feel ready, I’ll be the first to speak to the captain (David Ferrer). I’ve already told him on a few occasions not to make any decisions based on the fact that it’s my last week as a professional tennis player.”
French Open and Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz will be Spain’s leading player and his presence offers Nadal a real chance of retiring on a high note.
“Probably one of the most special tournaments that I’m going to play. Last tournament of Rafa, I’ll be able to be next to him in the last moments on a tennis court for him,” said Alcaraz who played alongside Nadal in doubles at the Olympics in Paris this year.
Agencies
