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Yulia Putintseva and Elena Rybakina led Kazakhstan to a 2-1 victory over hosts Nice Britain on Day 1 of the Billie Jean King Cup Finals in Glasgow.
Putintseva got here from a set right down to defeat Katie Boulter 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 earlier than Wimbledon champion Rybakina sealed Kazakhstan’s win 6-1, 6-4 over Harriet Dart, extending her successful streak on British soil to eight matches.
No.51-ranked Putintseva introduced the head-to-head edge into the primary rubber, having received each of her earlier conferences with Boulter — together with one in 2019 Billie Jean King Cup play-off motion from three match factors down 3-6, 6-2, 7-6(6).
Three years on, Putintseva’s escape wasn’t fairly so dramatic. In a below-par opening set, she dedicated 20 unforced errors, permitting No.124-ranked Boulter to stay on the entrance foot. However as soon as Putintseva’s recreation began clicking, she got here up with a collection of excellent angled passing photographs and drop photographs as she took management.
“Like at all times,” she mentioned when requested within the on-court interview about what a struggle the match had been.
‘I am like a gangster on courtroom, however an angel off courtroom’: Putintseva opens up
Rybakina backed up her compatriot with an authoritative efficiency towards Dart. The World No.22 slammed 16 winners over the course of 1 hour and 13 minutes, together with two searing forehands to seize each breaks in a dominant first set.
No.98-ranked Dart put up stronger resistance within the second set, erasing an early break deficit and going toe-to-toe with Rybakina on serve. However she squandered two factors to take a 5-4 lead after netting a brief forehand after which double faulting. Sensing her alternative, Rybakina wasted no time in seizing the break after which serving out with little fuss.
Nice Britain acquired on the board within the third doubles rubber as Alicia Barnett and Olivia Nicholls defeated Rybakina and Anna Danilina 7-5, 6-3.
Kazakhstan will proceed Group C motion by taking up Spain on Day 2, earlier than Nice Britain face Spain on Day 3.
Earlier, Australia defeated Slovakia 2-1 to take the lead in Group B. No.237-ranked Storm Sanders kicked off the tie with a 6-4, 6-3 win over Viktoria Kuzmova, earlier than Wimbledon and US Open quarterfinalist Ajla Tomljanovic sealed victory by defeating Anna Karolina Schmiedlova 6-1, 6-2. It was Tomljanovic’s fourth win in 4 conferences with Schmiedlova, together with three this season alone.
Slovakia managed to get a degree on the board as Kuzmova joined forces with Tereza Mihalikova to edge the doubles rubber 2-6, 6-3, [10-6] over Sanders and Ellen Perez.
Slovakia will face Belgium on Day 2, after which Australia will conclude Group B motion towards Belgium on Day 3.
Click on right here to view the total Billie Jean King Cup Finals draw.
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