Czech Republic beats defending champion Switzerland in group stage of BJK Cup Finals in Spain
The Hindu
The Czech Republic beat defending champion Switzerland 3-0 on the first day of the group stage at the Billie Jean King Cup Finals on Tuesday.
The Czech Republic beat defending champion Switzerland 3-0 on the first day of the group stage at the Billie Jean King Cup Finals on Tuesday.
Debutant Linda Noskova defeated Celine Naef 7-6 (2), 4-6, 6-4 in the first singles match, and another debutant Marie Bouzkova beat Viktorija Golubic 6-4, 6-4 in the second match of the Group A tie. The third point came with Barbora Krejcikova and Katerina Siniakova defeating Golubic and Jil Teichmann 7-6 (3), 6-2 in the doubles match.
Bouzkova was a late addition to the Czech team following the withdrawal of world No. 8 Karolina Muchova because of a wrist injury.
Switzerland was without Olympic gold medalist Belinda Bencic, who announced on Friday that she is pregnant.
The United States is the other team in Group A and will face Switzerland on Thursday.
In Group B, Slovenia defeated last year's runner-up Australia 2-1 after Kaja Juvan defeated Ajla Tomljanovic 6-4, 6-1 and Tamara Zidansek beat Daria Saville 6-1, 6-4.
Australia's point came when Kimberly Birrell and Storm Hunter beat Veronika Erjavec and Ela Nala Milic 7-5, 6-7 (2), 10-5 in the doubles match.
Asian Games champion Avinash Sable opened his season in the 3000m steeple chase with a silver in the Portland Track Festival, a World Athletics Continental Tour bronze event, in Oregon on Saturday. He clocked 8:21.85s. Asian champion Parul Chaudhary took the bronze in the women’s 3000m steeple chase in a season-best 9:31.38s. Former Asian bronze medallist Sanjivani Jadhav struck gold in the women’s 10,000m in 32:22.77s, a time which was a second off her personal best, while Seema was sixth in 32:55.91s.