Storm Sanders and Ajla Tomljanovic have swept Australia into the semi-finals of the Billie Jean King Cup in Glasgow, stuffed with perception they will now finish their nation’s 48-year-wait to raise the World Cup of girls’s tennis.
The pair, who had each received their singles matches in Tuesday’s victory over Slovakia, once more produced the products to seal a 3-0 whitewash of Belgium in Thursday’s winner-takes-all group decider.
The impressed Sanders additionally received her doubles rubber alongside the evergreen Sam Stosur as Alicia Molik’s group reached the last-four for the second yr working.
Yet they reckon this week’s run in Scotland feels totally different to Prague final yr.
“We are in a better position coming into the semis this time, like more confident, where we believe like we can actually win,” mentioned their No.1 Tomljanovic after defeating her Belgian counterpart Elise Mertens, who retired injured when trailing 3-0 within the deciding set.
“Last year we were, like, ‘Wow, we made the semis, what a great achievement’. This year it feels a little bit different, as it should. We have showed really great tennis to get ourselves there. Feels good to be in that position.”
Sanders, a lowly No.237 on the earth, appeared as soon as once more to be buoyed by the singles accountability for her nation as she blew away Alison Van Uytvanck 6-2 6-2 to place Australia one-up.
Then Australia’s prime participant Tomljanovic stayed robust to extinguish Belgium’s final hope, carrying down Mertens, who had begun in blistering vogue by taking the opening stanza 6-4 and going 4-1 up with a double break within the second.
But Mertens, having jetted in on a marathon, three-flight journey from Texas to Glasgow following her WTA Finals doubles triumph, started to wrestle with double-fault bother and discomfort from her harm shoulder.
Tomljanovic levelled the match 6-4 earlier than reeling off three extra video games – eight in a row in all – earlier than Mertens, who’d wanted remedy on her racquet arm, known as it a day.
With the tie now already determined, Sanders then returned to the Emirates Arena hardcourt, teaming up with 38-year-old Stosur to beat Ysaline Bonaventure and Kirsten Flipkens 6-4 6-3 within the doubles.
In the semi-finals, as they search to win the occasion previously referred to as the Fed Cup for the primary time since 1974, Australia will face hosts Great Britain who beat Spain 3-0.
Doubles top-tenner Sanders could not have received a singles in a WTA tour important draw all yr however she admits donning the inexperienced and gold by some means raises her sport.
Against world No.54 Van Uytvanck, she made a nonsense of the rankings, dominating with wonderful serving and her highly effective forehand.
“It was actually a tough match, and playing for your country, it’s quite emotional,” mentioned Sanders, who had additionally crushed Slovakia’s Viktoria Kuzmova in Australia’s opening win.
“(Playing for Australia) just brings out the best in me. I just use the support that we have on the sidelines and from home, channel that energy and use it in a positive way on court.”
Sanders’ attacking strategy noticed her sweep by the primary set in simply 23 minutes, however the important thing was a marathon first sport of the second stanza by which the brand new ‘Rockhampton Rocket’ – she hails from Rod Laver’s dwelling city – saved 5 break factors earlier than a vital maintain.
After that, the Storm would not blow out, as she crashed 18 winners whereas incomes her fourth BJK Cup singles win in simply 5 matches.
Great Britain’s exceptional whitewash of five-time champions Spain ensured they certified for the final 4 of the competitors for the primary time in 41 years.
