Slovakia Stuns USA in Billie Jean King Cup Upset

A spirited Slovakian squad surprised america at the moment.

Slovakia ended america’ Billie Jean King Cup title hopes early Friday morning in Malaga, Spain, scoring a 2-1 victory in a decisive doubles match to maneuver onto the quarterfinals.

After Taylor Townsend received her first Billie Jean King Cup singles match over 17-year-old junior star Renata Jamrichova, Forty third-ranked Rebecca Sramkova upended Danielle Collins within the evening’s second singles, 6-2, 7-5.

Subbing an in-form Townsend again in for doubles and pairing the reigning Wimbledon doubles champion with rookie Ashlyn Krueger was captain Lindsay Davenport’s play for the no-ad, match-tiebreak decider. The American pair sparked some optimism within the third-set match tiebreak, saving six match factors to almost degree at 9-all, however the comeback fell simply brief.

“Tremendous, you understand, up and down type of emotionally for actually everyone,” Captain Lindsay Davenport mentioned. “I believed Taylor did an awesome job taking part in within the first match, actually did what we needed her to do, have the ability to win that one.

“Danielle simply wasn’t feeling nice on the market, actually struggling type of proper now along with her confidence and hasn’t performed tons. She virtually, like, was in a position to flip it within the second. She received a few factors away from successful that second set. Perhaps that might have helped.

“We have been coping with some accidents with the opposite two, so a little bit restricted on my choices for doubles, hoping that, you know, the momentum of the second set would actually assist, however, you understand, it was a sluggish begin to the tiebreak.”

The U.S. Billie Jean King Cup crew awaits its draw for the 2025 Qualifying spherical, held the week of April 7, 2025. Subsequent 12 months’s format will see three nations play round-robin matches at certainly one of seven qualifying websites, with the winner of every round-robin group advancing to the eight-nation Finals subsequent 12 months. 

The American presence returns to Malaga subsequent week, because the U.S. Davis Cup crew takes on Australia on Thursday, November 21. Captain Bob Bryan brings a squad that includes Taylor Fritz, Tommy Paul, Ben Shelton, Austin Krajicek and Rajeev Ram.