Italy goes one better to win 2024 BJK Cup
AFTER suffering a heartbreaking defeat at the hands of Canada 12 months ago, Italy has transformed from bridesmaid to the bride with a 2-0 victory over Slovakia in the Billie Jean King (BJK) Cup overnight. Winning both the singles matches meaning there was no requirement to play the doubles, Italy showed it was the team […]
Slovakia makes history by reaching BJK Cup final
A TRUE underdog tale is emerging in Malaga with world number 10s Slovakia – expected to essentially make up the numbers coming into the Billie Jean King (BJK) Cup Finals – reaching the decider for just the second time in the nation’s history. The small European country – least population of any nation at the […]
Slovakia sweeps Aussies in dominant performance
SLOVAKIA proved too strong for reigning semi-finalists Australia in the Billie Jean King (BJK) Cup overnight, denying the green and gold a place in the final four. After a tight first singles match, the Europeans easily destroyed Australia in the second with no need for the doubles and a spot in the semi-finals secured. Coming […]
Sramk-ova for ‘Danimal’ as Slovakia stuns USA
DESPITE bringing a half-strength side to the Billie Jean King Cup, few would have predicted that super power tennis national the United States could not get past Slovakia in the first round of the knockout stage. However that was exactly the case with the world number fives suffering a shock 2-1 defeat to the 10th […]
2024 BJK Cup Finals preview
TWELVE teams remain in the hunt for the 2024 Billie Jean King Cup title, which kicks off overnight with the first of the knockout matches. While four nations – Canada, Australia, Czech Republic and Italy – have a first round bye, another eight are battling it out to reach the quarter finals. We take a […]
Turkish qualifier upsets Pole in Tokyo
AN EARLY upset on day one saw Turkish qualifier Zeynep Sonmez take out seventh seed Magdalena Frech to reach the second round of the WTA 500 event in Tokyo. Sonmez – ranked 148th in the world – defeated Frech 1-6 6-4 6-3, coming back from the brink to post the victory in an hour and […]
Frech bagel no worries for Pole
DESPITE not winning a game in the opening set of her Round of 32 match in Beijing, Polish 23rd seed Magdalena Frech turned her form around to take down higher ranked opponent Diana Shnaider and reach the fourth round of the China Open. The 31-year-old lost their only previous encounter back in Toronto when the […]
Korea Open finalists decided after frantic day
FALLING 24 hours behind on the schedule due to a washed out quarter finals day, players returned to the court in the Korea Open to double-up with both the quarter finals and semi-finals yesterday. The WTA 500 event saw six singles matches played all up with the two finalists – Beatriz Haddad Maia and Daria […]
Raducanu returns to roll Renata
BRITISH wildcard Emma Raducanu has returned to the scene where he career exploded three years earlier, winning in straight set in the first round of Wimbledon. In front of a passionate home crowd, the nation’s talented young gun who rose to fame in 2021 after reaching a fourth round at the All-England club then remarkable […]
Penko powers into Roland Garros second round
LATVIAN world number 11 Jelena Ostapenko advanced through to the second round of Roland Garros overnight, defeating Romanian Jaqueline Cristian in a tough two-set match. The ninth seed had to work for her win, eventually getting up 6-4 7-5 to book her place in the Paris Round of 64. The former Roland Garros champion has […]