LONDON – Grand Slam winners Naomi Osaka, Iga Swiatek and Emma Raducanu claimed victories for their countries in the Billie Jean King Cup qualifiers on Friday.
Osaka hit 15 aces and put Japan one step closer to reaching the BJK Cup finals with a 6-2, 7-6 (5) victory over Kazakhstan’s Yulia Putintseva. It was the four-time Grand Slam champion’s first match in the team competition since February 2020.
Osaka, back on tour after becoming a mother last July, saved all three break points she faced and built a 31-16 lead on winners. Her indoor hard court victory in Tokyo followed Nao Hibino’s 6-1 6-0 victory over Anna Danilina and gave Japan a 2-0 lead in the best-of-five qualifying round.
Two other singles matches and one doubles match are scheduled for Saturday.
A total of 16 nations are involved in Friday and Saturday’s qualifiers, with the winners advancing to the finals of the 12-team Billie Jean King Cup in Seville, Spain, in November. These eight teams will join defending champions Canada, 2023 runners-up Italy, hosts Spain and wildcard team the Czech Republic in the finals.
In other action on Friday, Swiatek and No. 1-ranked Poland won 2-0 in Switzerland, 2021 US Open champion Raducanu helped Great Britain end Day 1 tied 1-1 in France, hosts Australia took a 2-0 lead over Mexico and Slovakia beat their visit to Slovenia 2-0.
The other clashes are: Belgium against the United States, in Orlando; Ukraine versus Romania in Amelia Island, Florida; and Germany in Brazil.
In Biel, Switzerland, Swiatek – who won three championships at the French Open and one at the US Open – broke Simona Waltert five times on indoor hard court to win 6-3, 6-1, before Magdalena Frech came back to win Celine Naef 6-7 (8), 7-5, 6-3.
In Le Portel, France, Raducanu had a set and a break, but won 12 of the next 15 games to overcome Caroline Garcia 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 on a red clay indoor court. This pushed Great Britain even after France’s Diane Parry defeated Katie Boulter 6-2 6-0.
In Brisbane, where 2011 US Open champion Sam Stosur is captaining Australia for the first time, Arina Rodionova defeated Mexican Giuliana Olmos 3-6, 6-3, 6-1, and Daria Saville defeated Marcela Zacarias 6-1, 6-0 by the hosts on an outdoor hard court. Australia, runners-up twice in the last five years, are seeking their first title since 1974.
In Bratislava, on an indoor hard court, Anna Karolina Schmiedlova beat Ela Nala Milic 6-4, 6-3, and Viktoria Hruncakova beat Veronika Erjaveck 6-1, 5-7, 6-3.
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AP Tennis:
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