Romania shatters Ukraine’s hopes
Romania staged an astonishing fightback to shatter wartorn Ukraine’s hopes of reaching the Billie Jean King Cup finals for the first time on Saturday as Naomi Osaka’s Japan booked a maiden place in the championship decider.
Ukraine, forced to play their home ties on neutral ground, had been comfortably 2-0 ahead overnight in Florida against a Romania side missing top player Sorana Cirstea as well as former Wimbledon and French Open champion Simona Halep.
However, Ana Bogdan claimed a 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 victory over top 20 star Elina Svitolina despite trailing 2-0 in the deciding set. Bogdan, ranked 64, battled back, winning a 20point game and then serving out the match with ease.
“I gave my heart out there,” said the 31-year-old.
Jacqueline Cristian then levelled the tie at 2-2 with a come-from-behind 2-6, 6-4, 6-4 win over veteran Lesia Tsurenko.
With the balance of power shifting, Bogdan and Cristian defeated twin sisters Lyudmyla and Nadia Kichenok 6-2, 7-6 (9/7) in the deciding doubles to secure a dramatic 3-2 victory and a debut place in the finals in November.
Japan also made the finals by seeing off Kazakhstan in Tokyo with Nao Hibino sealing the victory thanks to a hard-fought 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (9/7) win over world number 50 Yulia Putintseva.
Seven-time champions Australia surged into the finals with victory over Mexico in Brisbane, handing Samantha Stosur a winning start to her reign as captain. Taylah Preston, just 18, swept past the experienced Marcela Zacarias, 12 years her senior, 6-1, 6-1.
In Bratislava, 16-year-old Australian Open junior champion Renata Jamrichova secured Slovakia’s win over Slovenia. The teenager beat world 203 Veronika Erjavec 6-2, 6-0.