The Billie Jean Cup Qualifiers took place this weekend.Eighteen teams fought for a spot in the Finals. The nine winning teams from the Qualifiers joined Billie Jean Cup champions Switzerland and runners-up Australia in the finals, which will take place from 7 to 12 November 2023.
France beats Great Britain 3-1
Last year’s WTA Finals champion Caroline Garcia rallied from 2-4 down to in the third set to beat Katie Boulder 6-7 (2-7) 7-6 (7-4) 7-6 (7-2) in a marathon match after 3 hours and 3 hours and 30 minutes. Alizé Cornet battled past Harriet Dart 7-6 (8-6) 7-6 (7-3).
Garcia beat Harriet Dart 6-1 6-7 (10-12) 6-1 in another marathon match to secure France the tie. Dart saved two match points in the second set. Garcia earned two breaks of serve to seal the third set 6-1.
Kazakhstan beats Poland 3-1
Yulia Putintseva upset 2023 Australian Open semifinalist Magda Linette 7-5 6-3 to clinch her first top 20 since she advanced against Paula Badosa via retirement at the Canadian Open last August. Rybakina dropped her serve once to beat world number 253 Weronika Falkowska 6-4 6-3.
Reigning Wimbledon and Indian Wells champion Elena Rybakina sealed the decisive point for Kazakhstan with a 6-4 6-2 win over Magda Linette on indoor in Astana. Rybakina won 74% of her first serve points. The Kazakh player won three games from 3-4 down with a break in the ninth game to seal the first set 6-4. Rybakina earned an early break at love to open up a 2-0 lead. Linette broke straight back to draw level to 2-2. Rybakina won four consecutive games with two breaks to seal the second set 6-2.
Czech Republic beats Ukraine 3-1
Marketa Vondrousova and Barbora Krejikova secured Czech Republic a 2-0 lead with straight-set wins over the Ukraine on indoor clay in Antalya, where the tie was held due to the war in Ukraine.
Former Roland Garros finalist Vondrousova cruised past Marta Kostyuk 6-2 6-1 in hour and 22 minutes. Krejcikova overcame Katarina Zavatska 6-4 6-3.
Kostyuk upset 2021 Roland Garros champion Krejcikova 3-6 6-1 6-4 in the first match on Saturday, but the Czech team secured their spot in the Billie Jean King Cup after Vondrousova beat Zavatska 6-3 6-4.
Czech Republic won six Billie Jean King titles between 2011 and 2018.
USA beats Austria 4-0
Jessica Pegula booked the US team the spot in the Finals with a 6-1 6-3 win over Julia Grabber in just an hour in Delray Beach.
Pegula and Coco Gauff won their three singles matches without dropping a set.
Gauff and Caty McNally beat Melanie Klaffner and Sinja Kraus in the doubles match.
Spain beats Mexico 3-1
Nuria Parrizas Diaz cruised past Marcela Zacarias 6-3 6-0 to book Spain a spot in the Finals with a 3-0 win over Mexico.
Germany beats Brazil 2-1
Last year’s Wimbledon quarter finalist Jule Niemeier earned a 7-6 (7-3) 3-6 6-2 win over top 20 player Beatriz Haddad Maia to give Germany a 2-1 win over Brazil in the Porsche Arena in Stuttgart. Anna-Lena Friedsam clinched Germany a spot in the Finals with a 6-1 6-0 win over Laura Pigossi.
Italy beats Slovakia 3-2
Italy ended the first day with a 2-0 lead over Slovakia with straight sets from Camila Giorgi over Anna Karolina Schmiedlova (6-2 6-3) and Martina Trevisan over Martina Hruncakova (7-6 6-3).
Schmiedlova and Hrunkacova won their singles matches over Jasmine Paolini (6-1 4-6 6-4) and Elisabetta Cocciaretto (6-3 7-6) respectively.
Hruncakova and Tereza Mihailikova serve at 5-4 in the third set of the decisive doubles match, but Cocciaretto won three consecutive games with two breaks to take win in three sets 6-4 4-6 7-5.
