Australia’s girls’s tennis gamers have made a successful begin to the Billie Jean King Cup finals beating Slovakia 2-1.
Storm Sanders and Ajla Tomljanovic gained singles victories to provide Australia a 2-0 lead of their best-of-three opener in Glasgow on Tuesday.
Sanders beat Viktoria Kuzmova 6-4 6-3 earlier than Tomljanovic blew away Anna Schmiedlova 6-1 6-2.
Sanders and Ellen Perez then teamed up towards Kuzmova and Tereza Mihalikova within the doubles.
The duo seemed on the right track to make it a clear sweep after they gained the primary set 6-2, however Slovakia rallied to take the second set, and the tie-break, to win 2-6 6-3 (10-6).
Australia will hope dropping match doesn’t show pricey in what seems to be a decent group B.
Belgium are the opposite staff within the three-nation part from which solely the winner qualifies for the semi-finals. Australia meet Belgium on Thursday; Slovakia face them on Wednesday.
If every nation wins one tie it’ll come right down to particular person matches gained, then units.
In the day’s different match, in group C, hosts Great Britain misplaced to Kazakhstan. Britain may nonetheless qualify with victory over Spain on Thursday however that will probably be a useless rubber if Kazakhstan win their match towards the Spanish on Wednesday.
Sanders’ was a wonderful victory towards a participant ranked 91 locations above her at 146th on the planet, and who has been inside the highest 50.
“It is always a little nerve-racking being the first one off the rank but I’m really proud of the way I went after it,” the Rockhampton-born 26-year-old stated.
“I really used the support of our Australian team on the sideline, they got me though those early nerves and it was a lot of fun out there.”
Tomljanovic gained an early break then completed with two extra in a 39-minute first set during which she gained 75 per cent of first serves and hit some advantageous forehands.
When she raced to a 3-0 lead within the second set a speedy victory appeared on the playing cards however Schmiedlova, ranked 67 locations decrease than the Aussie No.1 at a centesimal on the planet, fought again to 3-2.
Tomljanovic regained her break benefit then saved two break factors to be 5-2 earlier than breaking to like to seal the set, and tie.
“Her level was high for the scoreline. I played the bigger points a little bit better,” Tomljanovic stated.
Sanders and Perez took fast management of the doubles, successful six factors from seven to go from going through a break level to be 0-2 down within the opening set to breaking themselves for a 2-1 lead. They wrapped up the set in 27 minutes.
However, Slovakia lastly bought on the scoresheet within the second set, taking it 6-3 to power a 10-point tie-break which was gained by Slovakia who collected six of the final seven factors.
“No question our expectations were high today, and we were shooting for the 3-0 win, but from our perspective, it’s (still) a great day.” Australia captain Alicia Molik stated.
Australia’s final success within the competitors, which till final 12 months was often called the Federation Cup, was in 1974.
“It would mean everything to win this competition,” Tomljanovic stated.
“It’s been a while, maybe this year is the year.”
