Australia’s tennis girls must overcome a formidable hurdle within the form of Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina as they search to go one higher than final 12 months by lifting the BJK Cup.
Runners-up in Glasgow final 12 months within the occasion that doubles because the World Cup of the ladies’s sport, Alicia Molik’s crew had been handed a tricky draw for the 2023 closing in Seville up towards Rybakina-inspired Kazakhstan and Slovenia.
Seeking to win the event for the primary time since 1974 when it was referred to as the Federation Cup, the Australians, second seeds for the finals, must win their group of three within the week-long occasion if they’re to get to the semi-finals after which the ultimate on November 12.
But Kazakhstan loom as formidable rivals, headed by the ever-improving 23-year-old Rybakina, the Australian Open finalist who’s contemporary from an Italian Open triumph which has rocketed her into the world’s prime 5 for the primary time and stamps her as a possible winner on the French Open over the following fortnight.
She’ll be backed by the appreciable competitor Yulia Putintseva, presently 61 within the rankings, with the pair representing a serious hurdle for an Australian crew which is able to desperately hope to have their injured large weapons, Ajla Tomljanovic and Daria Saville, match once more for the November 7-12 finals.
In the absence of the large two, Australia’s top-ranked participant is Kimberly Birrell, at 111, with Jaimee Fourlis at 150. Storm Hunter, star of their breakthrough week in Glasgow final 12 months, is down at 202.
Slovenia, although, can’t be missed as they may most likely be spearheaded by Tamara Zidansek, the world No.110 who reached the French Open semi-finals two years in the past. They are contemporary from incomes a outstanding 3-2 comeback win over Romania of their April qualifier.
In what seems just like the compulsory ‘group of demise’, defending champions Switzerland, who beat Australia 2-0 in final 12 months’s closing, have been drawn alongside former winners Czech Republic and the United States, the 2 most profitable nations within the event’s historical past with 29 victories between them.
Hosts Spain, Canada and Iwa Swiatek’s Poland make up the third group for the occasion, whereas France, who’ve received the event 3 times, will face four-times winners Italy and Germany following the draw that was made in London on Wednesday.
Source: www.perthnow.com.au
