Slovenia scores historic win, taking down Australia at BJK Cup

The Billie Jean King Cup Finals kicked off with a jubilant moment for Team Slovenia. Led by Kaja Juvan and Tamara Zidansek, the nation of just over 2 million inhabitants notched its first ever win in the BJK Cup Finals, defeating Australia, 2-1 on Tuesday in Seville, Spain.

Juvan cruised past Ajla Tomljanovic 6-4, 6-1, and Zidansek, a former Roland-Garros semi-finalist, dashed the hopes of the green-and-gold with a 6-1, 6-4 victory over Daria Saville.

“Coming from a small country, people don’t expect much,” Juvan said on Tuesday. “We have always been considered like an underdog anywhere.”

Juvan has won 10 of the last 11 BJK Cup matches she has contested; Zidansek has won six of her last eight.

Australia, led by Storm Hunter, took the doubles point. Hunter, who finished the season as the WTA’s No 1 doubles player, traveled from Cancun yesterday, making it to Spain just in time to help her team salvage a point. She paired with Kimberly Birrell to defeat Veronika Erjavec and Ela Milic 7-5, 6-7, 10-5.

Slovenia can clinch their spot in the semi-finals with a win over Kazakhstan in their next Group B match (Friday Nov 10). Australia will try to stay in contention against Kazakhstan on Thursday.

Czechs dominate – what else is new?

Linda Noskova and Marie Bouzkova won singles rubbers to propel Czechia past 2022 champion Switzerland 3-0 in Group A action.

Noskova defeated Celine Naef 7-6(2), 4-6, 6-4, while Bouzkova powered past Viktorija Golubic 6-4, 6-4.

Barbora Krejcikova and Katerina Siniakova wrapped up proceedings with a 7-6(3), 6-2 takedown of Golubic and Jil Teichmann to close out the sweep.

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