Viktoria Hruncakova and Tereza Mihalikova sealed the 2-1 win for Slovakia with a win over Taylor Townsend and Ashlyn Krueger in the decisive doubles match. Slovakia set up a quarter final match against Australia.
Taylor Townsend edged past 17-year-old Renata Jamrichova 7-5 6-4 to give the US team a 1-0 lead over Slovakia. Townend sealed the win with an ace down the T.
Townsend broke serve in the fifth game to take a 3-2 lead. Jarimchova broke straight back in the eighth game to draw level to 4-4. Townsend earned a second break in the 11thgame and served out the win with a hold at 30 in the 12thgame.
Rebecca Stramkova pulled off a 6-2 7-5 win over Danielle Collins to draw level to 1-1 in the Billie Jean King Cup.
Stramkova broke twice in the third and seventh games and served out on her fourth set point.
Collins went up a break twice in the second and fourth games for 2-0 and 3-1, but Stramkova pulled back both times to draw level to 3-3. Stramkova broke for the third time in the seventh game to take a 4-3 lead, but Collins broke straight back to draw level to 4-4. Stramkova broke at love in the 11th game and served out the win on her first match point.
Srankova, who is ranked 32 places behind world number 11 Danielle Collins, claimed the best win of her career by ranking and her first Billie Jean King Cup since 2017.
“I still have no words. I was in the zone today. She is an amazing player, all respect for her. I was just playing unbelievable today, so I am happy I got the chance after a few years and I showed what I played the whole year”, said Srankova.
Viktoria Hruncakova and Tereza Mihalikova beat Ashlyn Krueger and Taylor Townsend 6-3 3-6 10-8. Hruncalova and Mihalikova broke twice in the first and in the ninth games to win the first 6-3. Krueger and Townsend won the second set 6-3 with two breaks in the fifth and ninth game.
Hruncakova and Mihalikova raced out to a 9-2 lead. Krueger and Townsend saved six match points but Hrincakova and Mihalikova sealed a thrilling win on their seventh match point.
