Malaga | GB cost into BJK Cup Final 4 to satisfy Slovakia

Crew GB charged into the semi-finals of the Billie Jean King Cup on Sunday with a powerful 2-0 defeat of defending champions Canada, and can meet Slovakia, who, earlier on Day 5, downed Australia by the identical margin to succeed in the Final 4 for the primary time since 2013.

We’ve been constructing for a while now, and I really feel, like, it’s lastly popping out. I really feel like we’ve received an important crew, all the women are nice individuals, and we’ve received nice chemistry occurring. So happy with everybody right here. I feel we now have received an important crew. We’ve at all times received an important likelihood. I feel each single day something can occur. Katie Boulter

Britain didn’t drop a set to advance to the semi-finals for the 2nd time in 3 years, the final time being in 2022 after they hosted the occasion in Glasgow.

Slovakia and Nice Britain be part of Poland and Italy within the Final 4, who face one another on Monday for a spot in Wednesday’s ultimate.

British No 1 Katie Boulter clinched the victory with a 6-2 6-4 win over Leylah Fernandez, after Emma Raducanu defeated Rebecca Marino, 6-0 7-5, within the first singles match of the tie on Sunday night.

© Fran Santiago/Getty Photos for ITF

First up, although, had been Slovakia, who adopted up their win over 18-time champions United States with a 2-0 upset over Australia, after Rebecca Sramkova cruised to a 6-1 6-2 win over Ajla Tomljanovic following Viktoria Hruncakova’s tenacious defeat in opposition to Kimberly Birrell, 7-5 6-7(4) 6-3.

Champions in 2002, Slovakia have made it into the Final 4 of the competitors for the primary time in 11 years.

“It’s one other huge nation, which we beat, and I’m so proud for the women, for our crew members, for [our] nation, as a result of we’re a small nation,” mentioned Slovakia captain Matej Liptak. “For us, it actually means a lot.”

Hruncakova, the World No 241, wanted 2 hours and 31 minutes to get previous Birrell and provides the central European nation the lead over Australia.

It was a hard-fought 3-set win, as Birrell gritted out the second-set tiebreak to increase the match right into a decider, however Hruncakova saved all 3 of the break factors she then confronted to prevail.

Birrell held 4 recreation factors within the 4-deuce ultimate recreation to maintain the match alive, however Hruncakova lastly transformed her third match level to provide Slovakia the 1-0 benefit.

“We now have nothing to lose. That’s why I feel we get pleasure from it a lot,” Hruncakova mentioned. “We’re doing good, and hopefully we’re going to maintain doing that!”

Hruncakova (née Kuzmova) is a former Prime 50 participant who’s at the moment ranked No 241, and the 26-year-old is having a powerful occasion in Malaga.

On Thursday, she paired with Tereza Mihalikova to win the decisive doubles in a match-tiebreak to oust the US.

Sramkova then wanted simply over an hour to simply take down Tomljanovic, the previous World No 32, who injured her knee within the third recreation of the primary set.

The Slovakian has reinvented her profession this autumn, the 28-year-old having now gained gained 19 of her final 23 matches because the US Open, and reaching 3 WTA singles finals, in addition to profitable her maiden WTA title at Hua Hin #2 to boost her rating from 136 to a career-high 43.

Sramkova introduced that kind into her first assembly with 3-time Grand Slam quarter-finalist Tomljanovic, firing 8 aces, and profitable 79% of her first-serve factors, and changing half of her 10 break factors to triumph.

Katie Boulter and Emma Raducanu rejoice Crew GB’s run to the semi-finals of the BJK Cup on Sunday

© Nathan Stirk/Getty Photos for LTA

Slovakia’s subsequent problem is Nice Britain, who stored their hopes alive of profitable the Billie Jean King Cup for the primary time by defeating defending champions Canada in Sunday’s night quarter-final.

“You realize what? We will’t win all of them, and I feel credit score to Crew Nice Britain, as a result of I feel each ladies performed full matches at this time,” Canada captain Heidi El Tabakh mentioned.

Emma Raducanu and Katie Boulter are but to drop a set within the 2 ties they’ve performed on the Palacio de Deportes in Malaga and, with a really winnable conflict in opposition to Slovakia to return on Tuesday, Crew GB Captain Anne Keothavong’s prediction that Britain may finish the match as champions is starting to look more and more life like.

“It’s improbable. It actually is an excellent achievement for the crew,” Keothavong mentioned. “However, like I mentioned on courtroom, you recognize, the job is way from over.”

Raducanu gave the Brits a 1-0 lead after holding off Rebecca Marino, 6-0 7-5, in 89 minutes.

“It was an extremely tough match as a result of the dynamics had been so completely different in every of the units,” 2021 US Open champion mentioned on courtroom after her win. “Within the second set, Rebecca actually upped her stage.”

Boulter then adopted with a 6-2 6-4 win over Leylah Fernandez, clinching her crew’s spot within the semis with an insurmountable 2-0 benefit, taking an hour and 41 minutes to topple the Canadian, who was the US Open runner-up to Raducanu in 2021.

“I simply need to say, firstly, Emma makes it very simple to return out right here and have a swing at 1-0 up, so full credit score to her for beginning us off nicely,” Boulter mentioned after her win. “Actually happy with my efficiency at this time. I simply needed to return out right here, and actually go on the defending champs, and hopefully get a giant win.”

Crew GB Captain Anne Keothavong encourages Emma Raducanu to her straight units win over Canada’s Rebecca Marino of their quarter-final tie on Sunday

© Nathan Stirk/Getty Photos for LTA

Crew GB are 4-time finalists within the competitors, however they’re nonetheless trying to find their first title on the prestigious crew occasion, and a win over Slovakia would put them into the ultimate for the primary time since 1981.

Raducanu was unstoppable in her opening set on Sunday, the place she gained all 12 of her first-service factors, and claimed the opener in lower than half an hour.

33-year-old Marino, although, who’s a giant server, and simply gained her greatest profession title on the WTA 125 occasion in Midland, Michigan, made a powerful cost within the second set, and held 4 break factors for a 5-3 lead.

Raducanu deftly served her manner out of hazard in that essential 12-minute recreation, preserving herself stage at 4-4, and the 22-year-old was rewarded for her grit at 5-5, the place she used unbelievable defence and a passing winner to erase a recreation level, earlier than breaking serve with a robust return.

Serving for the 1-0 benefit, Raducanu romped to triple match level, however she double-faulted on the primary, and Marino cranked a profitable forehand on the second.

The third proved the attraction, although, when Marino despatched a crosscourt backhand simply huge.

“I’m very happy with how I managed to fend off my very own break factors, after which sneak that break at 5-5 and shut it out,” Raducanu mentioned.

Boulter had the same path to victory, with the 28-year-old breaking Fernandez 5 consecutive occasions en path to a dominant 6-2, 4-0 lead, because the Brit seized big-hitting alternatives on return, whereas the Canadian struggled with double-faults.

Like Marino, Fernandez pulled issues nearer down the stretch, and Boulter did nicely to fend off 3 break factors in a important maintain for 4-0 within the second set.

Fernandez discovered strong returns and rallies to interrupt the Brit when she served for the match at 5-2, earlier than Boulter grabbed her first match level on the Canadian’s serve at 5-3, however she misfired on a return.

Two extra match factors got here and went at 5-4, however the Boulter serve received her over the road within the final couple factors to shut out her huge win for Crew GB.

“We’ve been constructing for a while now, and I really feel, like, it’s lastly popping out,” Boulter mentioned. “I really feel like we’ve received an important crew, all the women are nice individuals, and we’ve received nice chemistry occurring. So happy with everybody right here.”

“I feel we now have received an important crew. We’ve at all times received an important likelihood,” Boulter added. “I feel each single day something can occur.

“We’re simply going to maintain believing, hold trusting it, and simply hold having fun with it. I feel that’s actually vital. It’s labored so nicely for us up to now.”

On Monday, 5-time Grand Slam winner Iga Swiatek will lead Poland as they tackle world quantity 4 Jasmine Paolini’s Italy within the different semi-final.

Rebecca Sramkova and her crew members pose after profitable the BJK Cup quarter-finals for Slovakia in opposition to Australia at Palacio de Deportes Jose Maria Martin Carpena on Sunday in Malaga, Spain

© Fran Santiago/Getty Photos for ITF

Day 5 Outcomes

Quarter-final – Slovakia defeated Australia 2-0

• Viktoria Hruncakova (SVK) d. Kimberley Birrell (AUS) 7-5 6-7(4) 6-3
• Rebecca Sramkova (SVK) d. Ajla Tomljanovic (AUS) 6-1 6-2
• Ellen Perez/Daria Saville (AUS) v Viktoria Hruncakova/Tereza Mihalikova (SVK) – not performed

Quarter-final – Nice Britain defeated Canada 2-0

• Emma Raducanu (GBR) d. Rebecca Marino (CAN) 6-0 7-5
• Katie Boulter (GBR) d. Leylah Fernandez (CAN) 6-2 6-4
• Gabriela Dabrowski/Leylah Fernandez (CAN) v Olivia Nicholls/Heather Watson (GBR) – not performed

Slovakia will face Nice Britain in a semi-final tie on Tuesday.