Czech Republic and Slovenia seal places in BJK Cup semi-finals
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[November 11, 2023]
(Reuters) -The Czech Republic won a heavyweight clash against
the United States with a deciding doubles victory sending them
through to the Billie Jean King Cup semi-finals in Seville on
Friday.
The winner-takes-all Group A duel between the two most successful
sides in the competition's history was locked at 1-1 after the
singles before the Czech pair of Katerina Siniakova and Barbora
Krejcikova took the European team through.
The seven-time Grand Slam doubles champions had a little too much
craft for Danielle Collins and Taylor Townsend, winning 6-3 7-5.
Canada will be the Czech Republic's opposition in Saturday's
semi-finals.
Earlier in the day at the Estadio de la Cartuja, Slovenia reached
the semi-finals for the first time and set up a clash with Italy
despite losing 2-1 to Kazakhstan in Group B.
The U.S. lost to the Czechs at the same stage last year and were
intent on setting the record straight and things looked good when
Collins beat Siniakova 6-3 6-2 in the opening singles.
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But Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova, who did not play in the
Czechs' win against defending champions Switzerland, levelled things
up by crushing Sofia Kenin 6-1 6-1.
Siniakova and Krejcikova then completed the comeback to keep the
Czech team on course for a 12th title.
"This is a team competition and it was great that Marketa came up
with the win to make it 1-1," Krejicova said.
"A deciding doubles is always tricky because it's no advantage but I
felt that we had a really good team spirit."
Group B was more complex with Kazakhstan needing a 3-0 win to be
assured of reaching the last four.
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![](../images/111123PIX/sports40.jpg)
Tennis - Billie Jean King Cup Finals - Estadio de La Cartuja,
Seville, Spain - November 10, 2023 Czech Republic's Katerina
Siniakova and Barbora Krejcikova celebrate winning their doubles
match against Danielle Collins and Taylor Townsend of the U.S.
REUTERS/Marcelo Del Pozo
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That ambition disappeared as Kaja Juvan thrashed
Anna Danilina 6-1 6-0 before Tamara Zidansek walked on court against
Yulia Putintseva with the arithmetic meaning she needed to win one
set to send the Slovenians through.
She duly won the opening set 6-2 before Putintseva hit back to level
the match, at which point Zidansek retired in the knowledge that her
country had done enough to qualify.
"I mean, for me it's not really sunk in. Once you're here in this
moment, it's going fast, so you don't really know what's happening,"
Zidansek said. "Obviously we still have a lot to do. It's not
finished yet."
Kazakhstan won the doubles to seal the tie but it was too late.
Slovenia, Kazakhstan and Australia all finished with one win and a
3-3 win loss record but Slovenia, the lowest ranked of the 12
nations in the event, had a better sets percentage.
(Reporting by Martyn Herman; editing by Ken Ferris and Toby Davis)
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