Billie Jean King Cup Finals: Japan defeat Romania to set up Italy clash; first quarter-final since 2013

After the weather in Malaga calmed, it was time for the first matches of the Billie Jean King Cup to begin. The Japanese team overcame their Romanian opponents, courtesy of a tie-deciding doubles match, and moved through to the quarter-finals, where they will face the tricky Italian team.

Romanian Ana Bogdan got her team off to the best possible start, with a 6-2, 6-4 win over Nao Hibino which put them 1-0 in the tie. Bogdan was far stronger on serve, winning a higher percentage of second-serve points and only facing two break points in the match – both of which were saved.

The task of having to beat Romanian Jaqueline Cristian to keep your team’s chances alive seemed a stark one for Ena Shibahara. However, the odds would not be the determining factor, with Shibahara failing to convert on any of the three break points during her first return game, before saving one of her own, and breaking for the set, 6-4. In the second set, Cristian fought back to break at 1-1, but this advantage soon evaporated at 3-2. From there, both held relatively easily until 6-6, where Shibahara played a sensational tiebreak to clinch the win, and equal the tie at 1-1.

The tie-deciding match couldn’t have started in a better fashion for the Japanese underdogs, with Shuko Aoyam and Eri Hozumi breaking their opponents – Monica Niculescu and Elena Gabriela Ruse – twice, and saving both of their sudden death deuce games to serve out the set 6-1. The second was a far tighter affair, with Japan breaking for a 4-3 lead, and having two match point opportunities on return, before being broken back themselves for 5-5. However, this would not put the underdogs off, breaking once again for 6-5, and serving out the match on their second opportunity to love for a 6-1, 7-5 victory.

This year’s edition is the first since 2013 which will see Japan in the quarter-finals, and the team will next face Italy for a place in the final four.

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