The heroine became the Czech number one in the match Markéta Vondroušová. The Olympic silver medalist participated in all three points. After Friday’s clear win over Dart, she defeated last year’s US Open winner at the beginning of today’s program Emmu Raducanuovou twice 6-1. The 16-year-old debutante in the competition could decide Linda Fruhvirtbut Harriet Dart lost 0-6 7-5 2-6.
“I’m glad I brought so many points. I really enjoyed it at Štvanice,” smiled finalist Roland Garros from 2019 Vondroušová after the doubles. “It was tight, but I didn’t expect it to be easy. But Markéta played evenly,” Captain Pála told Czech Television.
In singles, Vondroušová taught Raducanu a lesson in clay tennis in the first set. She moved well in cold conditions, kept the ball in play, played long lifts, did not miss a few shorts and only let the British excel from her dangerous forehand.
“I’m happy with the level of my game. I played well, I enjoyed my stay on the court. We’re a new team, a young team, we’re fighting for the finals. I get to the forehands, it’s uncomfortable for the girls, “Vondroušová said.
Czech Republic Great Britain
How the tie was won ⬇️#BJKCup | @jsmeceskytenis
— Billie Jean King Cup (@BJKCup) April 16, 2022
The Czech left led 3-0 quickly. Then she lost the service, but she did not let herself decide and finished the first set in 25 minutes by winning three more games in a row.
Raducanu requested treatment and went to the locker room. Due to the winter, Vondroušová was also given an unconventional opportunity to go backstage so as not to catch a cold. In the first game, she faced two breakballs, but she managed the situation. At 2-0, she lost the service for the second time in the match, but then she had no problems with the British, who had a limited foot problem.
“I focused on my game until the end. I knew she was in trouble, but she finished it. I’m glad I played my game, stayed focused and won,” Vondroušová said. “I wanted to help the girls. The two points are amazing, still at home,” Vondroušová said.
Pála then unexpectedly gave Fruhvirtová a chance, which she chose instead of the originally reported Tereza Martincová, who lost to Raducanuová on Friday, and he also preferred her to Muchová and Bouzková. Currently, the 170th player in the world, Fruhvirtová, did not follow Nicole Vaidišová, who made her debut in Štvanice in 2005 on her sixteenth birthday and won the first point of the tennis players in a duel with the Japanese.
Fruhvirt struggled at first and lost the first nine games. She celebrated her first game after winning Dart’s (101st WTA), and suddenly relaxed and showed off her skills. With the help of a fast forehand and combativeness, she made a turn – she deflected three matchwords and won the second set 7: 5.
But the Czech Republic entered the third place badly. She bought mistakes, let Dart score, and suddenly it was 0-5. She reduced to 2-5, but eventually lost after two hours and 14 minutes.
Markéta Vondroušová a Karolina Muchova entered the doubles instead of the originally reported Fruhvirtová and Marie Bouzková. The Czech duo clearly dominated the first set and already led 4-1 in the second, but lost the lead. Vondroušová played Prim on the court, which she showed in the last game of the match and the winning shortening for the net.
On Friday, Vondroušová lost her only game with Dartová and the world twelve Raducanuová lost 7-5 Martincová twice.
As last year, the Czech 11-time champions of the competition will play the final tournament, which is scheduled for November 8-13 at an as yet unspecified place. “One of the options is Prague,” Ivo Kaderka, head of the Czech Tennis Association, told Czech Television. A year ago, the culmination of the competition took place hastily in Prague’s O2 arena and the tennis players dropped out of the group.
3⃣2⃣
Czech Republic are off to the Finals with a 3-2 victory over Great Britain #BJKCup | @jsmeceskytenis pic.twitter.com/fRymI3nVgt
— Billie Jean King Cup (@BJKCup) April 16, 2022
The polkas were drawn by Sovereign Šwiateková
The only game was lost by the world number one Iga Šwiateková in two qualifying matches and she led the Polish tennis players to the final tournament of the Billie Jean King Cup for the first time. In the duel with Romania, she has already won the 19th winning match in a row. Magda Linetteová won the starting point of the Polish team in front of the home fans in Radom on Friday.
Šwiateková first defeated Mihaela Buzarnescu 6-1 6-0 and today she even escorted Andreea Prisacariu, a tennis player from the fourth hundred, with two ‘canaries’. “The series I have on the WTA Tour gives me so much confidence that my opponents are under a lot of pressure,” Swiatek, who became the world number one after the recent abrupt end of Australian Ashleigh Barty’s career, told the team competition website.
The players of Kazakhstan also won the promotion today over the Germans, the Italians also at home over France and the Spaniards in the Netherlands. The last third point is missing for Americans and Canadians.
Australia, Belgium, Slovakia and Switzerland have previously participated in the November final tournament. Last year’s champions were expelled from Russia by the international federation ITF due to the invasion of Ukraine.
Czechia – Great Britain (Prague, clay) 3-2 |
Friday 15.4. |
Vondroušová – Dart 6-1 |
Martincová – Raducanuová 5-7 5-7 |
Saturday 16.4. |
Vondroušová – Raducanu 6-1 6-1 |
L. Fruhvirt – Dart 0-6 7-5 2-6 |
Vondroušová / Muchová – Dart / Swan 6-1 7-5 |
Italy – France (Alghero, tv surface) 3-1 |
Friday 15.4. |
Paoliniova – Cornetova 2-6 6-1 7-6 (2) |
Giorgio – Dodinova 6-1 6-2 |
Saturday 16.4. |
Giorgio – Tan 6-2 6-0 |
Bronzetti / Trevisanová – Dodinová / Mladenovicová 6-7 (4) 1-6 |
USA – Ukraine (Asheville, tv. Surface / hall) | 2-0 |
Friday 15.4. |
Riskeova – Jastremska 7-6 (16) 7-5 |
Pegulaova – Zavacka 6-2 6-1 |
Saturday 16.4. |
Pegulaova – Jastremska 3-6 4-6 |
Rogers – Zavacka 3-6 4-6 |
Kazakhstan – Germany (Nur-Sultan, clay / indoors) | 3-1 |
Friday 15.4. |
Putincevova – Kerberova 3-6 6-3 6-2 |
Rybakinova – Siegemundova 6-0 6-1 |
Saturday 16.4. |
Rybakinova – Kerberova 4-6 6-3 7-5 |
Danilinova / Kulambayeva – Niemeierova / Friedsamova 2-6 6-3 6-10 |
Canada – Latvia (Vancouver, TV / surface) 2-0 |
Friday 15.4. |
Fernandezova – Semenista 6-1 6-2 |
Marin – Vismane 6-3 6-7 (4) 6-3 |
Poland – Romania (Radom, tv / surface) 4-0 |
Friday 15.4. |
Linette – Begu 6-1 4-6 6-2 |
Šwiateková – Buzarnescuová 6-1 6-0 |
Saturday 16.4. |
Šwiateková – Prisacariuová 6-0 6-0 |
Frechova / Rosolska – Mituova / Buzarnescuova 5-7 6-3 10-5 |
Netherlands – Spain (Hertogenbosch, clay / indoors) | 0-4 |
Friday 15.4. |
Rusova – Parrizasova 2-6 6-7 (4) |
Pattinama Kerkhove – Sorribes 4-6 3-6 |
Saturday 16.4. |
Rusova – Sorribesova 0-6 4-6 |
Hartonova / Schuursova – Bolsova / Masarovova 6-4 6-7(7) 7-10 |
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