In a stunning upset that sent shockwaves through the tennis world, the underdog Slovakia women’s team eliminated the heavily favored United States from the Billie Jean King Cup Finals with a thrilling 2-1 victory. The intense battle took place in Malaga, Spain and stretched late into the night, with the decisive doubles match ending just before 1 a.m. local time.
Slovakia Saves 6 Match Points to Clinch Victory in Doubles
The tie came down to a nail-biting doubles match between the American pair of Ashlyn Krueger and Taylor Townsend and the Slovak duo of Tereza Mihalikova and Viktoria Hruncakova. In a match filled with twists and turns, Krueger and Townsend fought back from a 9-2 deficit in the third set to save an incredible six match points. However, their valiant effort ultimately fell short as Mihalikova and Hruncakova held their nerve to secure a 6-3, 3-6, 10-8 victory, sending Slovakia through to the quarterfinals.
It was an unbelievable match. We left everything out there on the court and nearly pulled off the comeback, but credit to Slovakia for playing clutch tennis when it mattered most.
– Ashlyn Krueger, U.S. doubles player
Townsend, Sramkova Split Singles Rubbers
Earlier, the singles matches were split between the two nations. Taylor Townsend gave the United States the early lead by defeating 17-year-old Renata Jamrichova 7-5, 6-4. However, Slovakia’s Rebecca Sramkova leveled the tie with an impressive 6-2, 7-5 victory over American No. 1 Danielle Collins.
I knew I had to bring my absolute best today against a player of Danielle’s caliber. I’m so proud of how I competed and fought for every point. This is a huge win for Slovak tennis.
– Rebecca Sramkova, Slovak No. 1
Japan Reaches Quarterfinals for First Time Since 2013
In other Billie Jean King Cup Finals action, Japan advanced to the quarterfinals for the first time since 2013 after coming from behind to defeat Romania 2-1. After Romania’s Ana Bogdan defeated Nao Hibino 6-2, 6-4 in the opening singles rubber, Japan’s Ena Shibahara leveled the tie with a 6-4, 7-6(2) win over Jaqueline Cristian.
The Japanese doubles team of Eri Hozumi and Shuko Aoyama then sealed the victory with a convincing 6-1, 7-5 triumph over Romania’s Monica Niculescu and Elena-Gabriela Ruse. Japan will face a stern test in the quarterfinals against Italy.
Weather Disruptions Force Schedule Changes
The Billie Jean King Cup Finals have been hampered by inclement weather in Malaga, with a severe weather alert forcing the postponement of the opening tie between co-hosts Spain and Poland from Wednesday to Friday. The Japan vs. Romania tie was also pushed back two hours due to the alert.
The schedule disruptions come in the aftermath of devastating flash floods in the nearby Valencia region that claimed more than 200 lives. The International Tennis Federation announced a donation to the Spanish Red Cross to support relief and recovery efforts, while Spanish player Paula Badosa pledged half of her prize money to help the victims.
Billie Jean King Cup Finals Continue with Quarterfinals
The upsets and weather challenges have added extra intrigue to this year’s Billie Jean King Cup Finals, which for the first time is being held at the same venue and overlapping dates as the men’s Davis Cup Finals. The prestigious women’s team event will continue over the weekend with the quarterfinal ties:
- Slovakia vs. Australia
- Japan vs. Italy
- Spain/Poland winner vs. Germany/Britain winner
With the stakes rising and the field narrowing, tennis fans can expect more thrilling and hard-fought matches as the remaining nations battle for one of the sport’s most coveted trophies. The Billie Jean King Cup Finals is building towards a crescendo, with the final scheduled for Sunday, November 17.
