Russia and the United States are tied (1-1) in the semi-finals of the Billie Jean King Cup after the victory of Liudmila Samsonova over Sloane Stephens and that of Danielle Collins over Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova. It is therefore the double that will decide the first finalist country.
The United States still in the race! Danielle Collins allows Americans to continue dreaming of success in this 2021 Billie Jean King Cup, after her great victory over world No.12 Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova! The Floridian won 6-7, 7-6, 6-2 after a 2:44 fight that the Russian ended exhausted, and thus won her second victory in two games against this formidable opponent, after the quarter-final of Australian Open 2019. This meeting was intense and close during the first two sets, before Collins took a physical and tennis advantage over the finalist of the last Roland-Garros. In the first set, Pavlyuchenkova took the lead by leading 4-1, but Collins managed to come back to 5-5 after saving three set points. Undaunted by this twist of fate, the Russian managed to win the tie-break 11-9, missing three more set points, while the American missed one at 9-8. Collins reacted immediately by breaking from the start of the second set, but Pavlyuchenkova did not give up and glued to 2-2. The two players then alternated between the games with break points and the shutouts, and everything was decided again in the tie-break, where this time the American took place by winning it 7-2. The start of the end for the world No.12, who missed a break point in the first game of the third set, and then broke down, losing her serve at 2-1 and 5-2 without having a chance to to recover. It is therefore the double that will decide the first finalist country of this BJK Cup!
« She’s got it! » ????
Danielle Collins remains unbeaten to keep the tie alive for @expert #BJKCupFinals pic.twitter.com/xcleWt43zC
— Billie Jean King Cup (@BJKCup) November 5, 2021
If you missed the first game:
In search of their first Fed Cup since 2015, Russia took the first step towards the final this Friday at the O2 Arena in Prague. As in Brisbane in 2020 and at the last Wimbledon, Liudmila Samsonova again beat Sloane Stephens in three sets and Russia therefore leads 1-0 in their semi-final against the United States, who won the competition in 2018. . The 40th player in the world won 1-6, 6-4, 6-3 in 1h56 against the former winner of the US Open, who fell to 63rd in the world. Completely dominated in the first set, where she lost her serve at 0-0, 3-1 and 5-1 while Stephens lost only two points on her face-off, Samsonova completely reversed the trend afterwards. In a tight second set, where the two players held their serve without too many problems until 4-4, the Russian broke at the best of times to lead 5-4, and finish with a shutout. In the third, it was Stephens who woke up and broke first, but she lost her serve in stride (1-1), then missed two 3-1 balls, before losing her shot. game at 2-2 and 5-3, and therefore let Russia take the first point.
Was this the moment the match turned in @LiudaSamsonova‘s favour? ????
RTF are one win from the final…#BJKCupFinals pic.twitter.com/4e9zkChBUm
— Billie Jean King Cup (@BJKCup) November 5, 2021
BILLIE JEAN KING CUP / PHASE FINALE 2021
November 1-6, 2021 at the O2 Arena in Prague (Czech Republic)
SEMI-FINALS
Friday, November 5, 2021
RUSSIA – UNITED STATES: 1-1
Samsonova (RUS) bat Stephens (USA) : 1-6, 6-4, 6-3
Collins (USA) bat Pavlyuchenkova (RUS) : 6-7 (9), 7-6 (2), 6-2
Samsonova / Kudermetova (RUS) – Rogers / Vandeweghe (USA)
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