Elena Rybakina propelled Kazakhstan to the Billie Jean King Cup Finals on Friday, as Canada and Ukraine also began their qualifiers with dominant performances.
With Kazakhstan securing their place, the lineup for the Finals in September is beginning to solidify. The six group winners from this week`s qualifiers will join reigning champion Italy and host nation China in Shenzhen for the final tournament.
A notable trend in this week`s competition is the decisive nature of the matches. So far, none of the ties have required a doubles match to determine the winner, with all ten ties concluded on Thursday and Friday being decided by 2-0 victories in the singles matches.
Day 2 Qualifiers Round-Up
Group A: Canada vs. Romania (3-0)
Canada`s rising stars led the way in their Group A opener. 18-year-old Victoria Mboko defeated Miriam Bulgaru 6-1, 6-4, and 20-year-old Marina Stakusic overcame Anca Todoni 6-4, 6-3 in singles play.
Rebecca Marino and Kayla Cross teamed up for a doubles victory, completing Canada`s clean sweep. The Canadian team is in contention to win their second Billie Jean King Cup title within three years.
Marina Stakusic commented on the high level of competition, acknowledging her tough opponent`s strong play and her own focus on fighting for every point. Group A`s outcome remains uncertain with further ties to be played.
Group B: Spain vs. Brazil (3-0)
Spain, a five-time champion nation, enjoyed a successful start to their campaign. Sara Sorribes Tormo defeated Laura Pigossi 6-3, 7-5, while Jessica Bouzas Maneiro prevailed over Beatriz Haddad Maia 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 in singles matches. Sorribes Tormo and Cristina Bucsa secured the doubles point, ensuring a dominant 3-0 victory.
Spain`s historical success in the Billie Jean King Cup includes five titles in the 1990s, led by Grand Slam champions Arantxa Sanchez Vicario and Conchita Martinez. Spain is set to compete against 11-time champions Czech Republic to determine the Group B winner and Finals qualifier. Brazil has been eliminated from contention.
Group C: Slovakia vs. Denmark (2-0)
Slovakia, champions in 2002, fought hard to win their opening Group C tie. Viktoria Hruncakova secured the first point with a 6-4, 6-3 victory over Rebecca Munk Mortensen.
The second singles match proved to be a much tougher contest than anticipated based on rankings. World No. 37 Rebecca Sramkova battled for 3 hours and 10 minutes to defeat 698th-ranked Johanne Christine Svendsen 7-6(3), 5-7, 6-3.
Group C remains open, with 18-time champions United States yet to play their first tie. They are scheduled to face Denmark on Saturday and Slovakia on Sunday.
Group D: Kazakhstan vs. Colombia (3-0)
Kazakhstan has secured their flights to Shenzhen for the Finals after claiming victory in Group D, eliminating both Colombia and Australia. Friday`s matches showcased dominant performances from their top players, Elena Rybakina and Yulia Putintseva.
Yulia Putintseva swiftly defeated Valentina Mediorreal Arias 6-0, 6-1 in just 37 minutes. Wimbledon 2022 champion Elena Rybakina followed up with a 6-1, 6-2 win against Yuliana Lizarazo in 51 minutes.
Despite a strong effort, Colombia fell short in the doubles match as well. Zarina Diyas and Zhibek Kulambayeva secured a 6-2, 5-7, 6-4 victory, completing Kazakhstan`s 3-0 sweep.
Group E: Ukraine vs. Poland (3-0)
After Poland`s victory on Thursday, Ukraine rebounded strongly on Friday. Ukraine`s Top 25 players secured singles victories against Poland, making Group E highly competitive.
Marta Kostyuk defeated Katarzyna Kawa 6-1, 6-2, and former World No. 3 Elina Svitolina overcame Maja Chwalinska 7-6(4), 6-3. The Kichenok sisters, Lyudmyla and Nadiia, won the doubles match, sealing a 3-0 victory for Ukraine.
Group E is still undecided, but Ukraine can guarantee their progression to the Finals if they defeat Switzerland on Saturday.
Group F: Great Britain vs. Germany (2-1)
Great Britain made a successful Group F debut with two singles wins on Friday. Sonay Kartal defeated Jule Niemeier 6-4, 6-2, and Katie Boulter battled past Tatjana Maria 1-6, 6-3, 6-1 to clinch the tie for Great Britain.
Laura Siegemund and Anna-Lena Friedsam secured a doubles point for Germany, the two-time champion nation. However, Germany has been eliminated after losing both of their ties this week.
The winner of Group F and the Finals qualifier will be determined in the final tie between Great Britain and the Netherlands.
