(Glasgow) Australia and Kazakhstan collected victories on the first day of the Billie Jean King Cup, the most important team competition in women’s tennis.
Seeking a first title in this competition in 48 years, Australia beat Slovakia 2-1 in a Group B game thanks to singles wins from Storm Sanders and Ajla Tomljanovic.
Later, Kazakhstan took an insurmountable 2-0 lead against hosts Great Britain in a Group C duel after Yulia Putintseva and reigning Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina , won their respective singles matches.
Over the course of its history, Australia has won the top honors of this competition, formerly known as the Fed Cup, seven times. These triumphs were all acquired between 1964 and 1974.
(function () {
var slotName = “ad636b4bad02f99-adSlotLppos”;
var dimensions = [“fluid”,[634,125],[634,150],[634,180],[634,200],[634,634],[634,400],[640,360],[640,480],[728,200]];
var positionName = null;
var pageBlock = “text”;
positionName = “pos0″;
var adUnitPath=”/” + [
nuglif.ngApp.globals.network,
nuglif.ngApp.globals.topLevelAdUnit,
nuglif.ngApp.globals.adUnit
].join(‘/’);
LPAds.createAdSpot(slotName, adUnitPath, pageBlock, positionName, dimensions);
LPAds.registerSpotReceived(slotName, function (slotData) {
if (slotData) {
if (LPAds.isProductGalleryAd(slotData.creativeTemplateId)) {
console.debug(‘Ads: Product gallery detected for ‘ + slotName);
document.getElementById(slotName).parentElement.style.maxWidth=”728px”;
document.getElementById(slotName).parentElement.style.width=”100%”;
} else if (LPAds.isNativeAd(slotData.creativeTemplateId) ) {
console.debug(‘Ads: Native Ad detected for ‘ + slotName);
document.getElementById(slotName).parentElement.style.width=”100%”;
} else if (LPAds.isNativeAdXtra(slotData.creativeTemplateId) ) {
console.debug(‘Ads: Native Ad Xtra detected for ‘ + slotName);
document.getElementById(slotName).parentElement.style.width=”100%”;
document.getElementById(slotName).classList.add(“adSpotBlock__slotInner–xtra”);
}
}
});
LPAds.displayAdSpot(slotName);
})()
Sanders defeated Viktoria Kuzmova 6-4, 6-3 while Tomljanovic won 6-1, 6-2 over Anna Karolina Schmiedlova in Glasgow, Scotland.
Kuzmova teamed up with Tereza Mihalikova and took the measure of Sanders and Ellen Perez in doubles.
In the clash between Kazakhstan and Great Britain, Putintseva came from behind and beat Katie Boulter 4-6, 6-3, 6-2. Rybakina, 22e world player, outscored Harriet Dart 6-1, 6-4.
Great Britain saved the honor when Olivia Nicholls and Alicia Barnett, in their first appearance in the tournament, defeated the tandem of Rybakina and Anna Danilina 7-5, 6-3.
Twelve countries, divided into four groups, take part in the competition. Canada is in Group A, and will face Italy on Thursday and Switzerland on Friday. Each confrontation includes two duels in singles and one in doubles.
The winners of the four groups will advance to the semi-finals on Saturday. The grand finale will be presented on Sunday.
(function () {
var slotName = “ad636b4bad02fea-adSlotLppos”;
var dimensions = [“fluid”,[634,125],[634,150],[634,180],[634,200],[634,634],[634,400],[640,360],[640,480],[728,200]];
var positionName = null;
var pageBlock = “text”;
positionName = “pos1″;
var adUnitPath=”/” + [
nuglif.ngApp.globals.network,
nuglif.ngApp.globals.topLevelAdUnit,
nuglif.ngApp.globals.adUnit
].join(‘/’);
LPAds.createAdSpot(slotName, adUnitPath, pageBlock, positionName, dimensions);
LPAds.registerSpotReceived(slotName, function (slotData) {
if (slotData) {
if (LPAds.isProductGalleryAd(slotData.creativeTemplateId)) {
console.debug(‘Ads: Product gallery detected for ‘ + slotName);
document.getElementById(slotName).parentElement.style.maxWidth=”728px”;
document.getElementById(slotName).parentElement.style.width=”100%”;
} else if (LPAds.isNativeAd(slotData.creativeTemplateId) ) {
console.debug(‘Ads: Native Ad detected for ‘ + slotName);
document.getElementById(slotName).parentElement.style.width=”100%”;
} else if (LPAds.isNativeAdXtra(slotData.creativeTemplateId) ) {
console.debug(‘Ads: Native Ad Xtra detected for ‘ + slotName);
document.getElementById(slotName).parentElement.style.width=”100%”;
document.getElementById(slotName).classList.add(“adSpotBlock__slotInner–xtra”);
}
}
});
LPAds.displayAdSpot(slotName);
})()
