Billie Jean King Cup: Czechs oust US and join Switzerland in semifinals

The Czechs will meet Switzerland on Saturday in Glasgow after the Swiss beat Canada 2-1. Fellow group winners Australia and Britain meet in the other semi.

Published : Nov 12, 2022 09:04 IST , GLASGOW, Scotland

Czech Republic’s Katerina Siniakova celebrates defeating Coco Gauff of the United States.
Czech Republic’s Katerina Siniakova celebrates defeating Coco Gauff of the United States. | Photo Credit: AP
infoIcon

Czech Republic’s Katerina Siniakova celebrates defeating Coco Gauff of the United States. | Photo Credit: AP

The unheralded Czech Republic upset the United States to reach the Billie Jean King Cup semifinals for the first time time in four years on Friday.

The Czechs will meet Switzerland on Saturday in Glasgow after the Swiss beat Canada 2-1. Fellow group winners Australia and Britain meet in the other semi.

No. 7-ranked Coco Gauff and No. 14 Danielle Collins were expected to roll over the Czechs in their singles but neither could win a set.

Gauff won all three previous matches against Katerina Siniakova but fell 7-6 (1), 6-1. Gauff made 39 unforced errors in her fifth straight singles defeat.

Collins was overwhelmed by Marketa Vondrousova 6-3, 6-3. The latter won eight games in a row from 3-1 down.

Vondrousova only recently returned to the tour after six months out following wrist surgery. In her second minor comeback tournament last week in England, she won the singles and doubles and carried the form to Glasgow.

Switzerland, the 2021 runner-up, took an unassailable lead over Canada after Viktorija Golubic rallied to beat Bianca Andreescu 2-6, 6-3, 6-4, and Belinda Bencic beat Leylah Fernandez 6-0, 7-5.

Golubic stood in for Jil Teichmann, who was on court for four hours on Wednesday. The switch was inspired as Golubic refocused in the second set, broke early, and held her ground.

Fernandez beat Bencic in the tournament two years ago but Bencic won their most recent contest last month in Guadalajara and carried it on.

Sign in to unlock all user benefits
  • Get notified on top games and events
  • Save stories to read later
  • Access to comment on every story
  • Sign up / manage to our newsletters with a single click
  • Get notified by email for early bird access to discounts & offers to our products
Sign in

Comments

Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide to our community guidelines for posting your comment