Fans in the Czech Republic were upset today at the O2 Arena in Prague, which was frozen by the elimination at the hands of Switzerland of the 11-time Federation Cup winning team who had high hopes of lifting the first title of the new Billie Jean King Cup Finals, as the tournament in honor of the legendary American tennis player is now called.
BJK was one of the spectators who witnessed the fall of the locals (2-1), who trusted Barbora Krejcikova. But the number three in the world, who had made the sacrifice, which others rejected, to represent her country the week before the WTA Finals in Guadalajara (Mexico), he failed miserably in both heats, although it is true that his rivals were not easy at all. On Monday she lost to German Angelique Kerber, former world number one and winner of three Grand Slams, and this Thursday she fell to Belinda Bencic (7-6 (2) and 6-4), the current Olympic champion. The doubles of the veteran Lucie Hradecka (36 years old) and the young Katerina Siniakova (25), savior in the series against Germany, this time could not with the couple formed by Bencic herself and Jill Teichmann, a native of Barcelona (double 6 -3). The remarkable triumph was of little use, with a technically exquisite tennis, of Marketa Vondrousova, the 2020 Roland Garros finalist, against Viktorija Golubic (6-4 and 6-2).
Switzerland, which celebrated the unexpected success of reaching the semi-finals of the country competition for the third time, will face Australia this Friday (17:00, Teledeporte), another nation that is in luck because it came without number one, Ashleigh Barty, and with Ajla Tomljanovic played. But the player of Balkan origin came back in her match against Aliaksandra Sasnovich (4-6, 6-2 and 6-3) and made good the previous victory of her partner Storm Sanders against Yuliya Hatouka (double 6-3). It is true that Belarus arrived very weakened without Aryna Sabalenka or Victoria Azarenka, and she did a lot with taking the doubles point, with Lidziya Marozava and Sasnovich, who defeated Olivia Gadecki and Ellen Pérez (double 6-4) in an already inconsequential match. Australia, a seven-time winner, enters the penultimate round for the second year in a row.
Before the tie between the oceanic and the Swiss, the other will be played, a very interesting cross between the Russian Federation and the United States, two classics (10:30, Teledeporte).
Results, standings and schedules of the Billie Jean King Cup Finals.