RADOM, Poland — In a historic moment for Ukrainian tennis, Elina Svitolina propelled her nation into the Billie Jean King Cup Finals for the very first time with a commanding 6-4, 6-2 victory over Switzerland’s Jil Teichmann, leveling the teams’ qualifier at 1-1 on Saturday.
This victory secured Ukraine’s spot atop Group E, granting them a place in the tournament set to take place in Shenzhen this September. Switzerland had to maintain a perfect record against Ukraine to advance, but ultimately, Ukraine triumphed with a 2-1 overall win.
Meanwhile, Spain also clinched their finals berth, thanks to Jessica Bouzas Maneiro’s impressive 6-4, 6-2 win over Linda Noskova from the Czech Republic, achieving an unassailable 2-0 lead in their match.
In Group C, Bernarda Pera secured a vital win against Denmark’s Johanne Svendsen, giving the United States a 2-0 lead. The U.S. is poised to take on host nation Slovakia on Sunday, with the winner advancing to the finals.
On a thrilling note, Japan’s Moyuka Uchijima fought back from the brink, saving two match points to defeat Romania’s Anca Todoni 3-6, 7-6 (3), 6-2. This victory sets the stage for a decisive showdown against Canada on Sunday, where the winner will earn a spot in the finals.
