Billie Jean King Cup 2023 Qualifiers: Jessica Pegula leads U.S. through to finals; Spain, France in, too
The Qualifiers are taking place on 14-15 April in nine countries with 18 teams competing for spots in November's Final. The BJK Cup is tennis' nation-based women's team event.
Tennis
The 2023 Billie Jean King Cup Qualifiers are underway with 18 nations battling it out on 14 & 15 April for spots in November's Billie Jean King Cup Finals.
After the Qualifiers, the nine winning tennis teams will join the reigning champions Switzerland and runners-up Australia and one additional wild card in the finals, which are set to take place 7-12 November.
Former champions USA, France, Czechia, Germany, Italy and Spain have joined Kazakhstan in booking their place in the BJK Cup final after each winning their ties in Saturday's bumper day of action.
Team USA, playing in Delray Beach, Florida, got two wins from world No. 3 Jessica Pegula to seal a 3-0 win over Austria. Pegula beat Julia Grabher 6-1, 6-3 Saturday afternoon.
Earlier, Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina (pictured above) kickstarted proceedings with a win over Australian Open semi-finalist Magda Linette of Poland 6-4, 6-2 to qualify Kazakhstan for their second final. The Poles were without world No.1 Iga Swiatek for the tie.
Spain's Nurria Parrizas Diaz triumphed over Mexico's Marcela Zacarias 6-3, 6-0 to advance the five-time champions while Tokyo 2020 silver medallist Marketa Vondrousova defeated Katarina Zavatska to book Czechia's - a six-time winner - its place in November's final.
France sealed its spot in the 12-team Finals after Caroline Garcia denied Great Britain's Harriet Dart to give the French an unassailable 3-0 lead in Coventry, UK.
The 2022 US Open semi-finalist took the win in three sets, 6-1 6-7 (10) 6-1 over Dart before the Brits were able to claw one back in a dead doubles rubber. Britain was without 2021 US Open champ Emma Raducanu for the tie.
Serving as the women's team world championships of tennis, the tournament has some of the best players from around the world teaming up to compete for their countries.
See full results from Day 1 and 2 below.
Billie Jean King Cup 2023 Qualifiers: Results from Day Two (April 15)
See a full list of results here.
**Spain [1] won the tie against Mexico 3-1 - Club de Tenis Puente Romano, Marbella, Spain
**Nuria Parrizas Diaz (ESP) def. Marcela Zacarias (MEX), 6-3 6-0
Giuliana Olmos & Renata Zarazua (MEX) def. Rebeka Masarova & Aliona Bolsova Zadoinov (ESP), 4-6 7-6 10-7
**Czechia [2] won the tie against Ukraine, 3-1 - Megasaray Club Belek, Antalya, Turkey (neutral)
**Marta Kostyuk (UKR) def. Barbora Krejcikova (CZE), 3-6 6-1 6-4
Marketa Vondrousova (CZE) def. Katarina Zavatska (UKR), 6-3 6-4
**France [3] won the tie against Great Britain, 3-1 - Coventry Building Society Arena, Coventry, Great Britain
**Caroline Garcia (FRA) def. Harriet Dart (GBR), 6-1 6-7(12) 6-1
Alicia Barnett & Olivia Nicholls (GBR) def. Clara Burel & Kristina Mladenovic (FRA), 7-5 3-6 11-9
USA [5] won the tie against Austria, 4-0 - Delray Breach Tennis Center
Jessica Pegula (USA) def. Julia Grabher (AUT), 6-1 6-3
Coco Gauff/Caty McNally (USA) def. Melanie Klaffner/Sinja Kraus (AUT), 6-1 6-4
**Italy won the tie against Slovakia [6], 3-2 - NTC Arena, Bratislava, Slovakia
**Anna Karolina Schmiedlova [SVK) def. Jasmine Paolini (ITA), 6-1 4-6 6-4
Viktoria Hruncakova (SVK) def. Elisabetta Cocciaretto (ITA), 6-3 7-6(7)
Elisabetta Cocciaretto/Martina Trevisan (ITA) def. Viktoria Hruncakova/Tereza Mihalikova (SVK), 4-6 6-4 7-5
**Kazakhstan [8] won the tie against Poland, 3-1 - National Tennis Centre, Astana, Kazakhstan
**Elena Ryabkina (KAZ) def. Magda Linette (POL), 6-4 6-2
Weronika Falkowska & Alicja Rosolska (POL) def. Anna Danilina & Yulia Putintseva (KAZ), 6-4 6-4
**Romania [9] is tied with Slovenia, 2-2 - Sport Park Bonifika, Koper, Slovenia - play suspended overnight
**Tamara Zidansek (SLO) def. Ana Bogdan (ROU), 3-6 7-6(7) 7-5
Kaja Juvan (SLO) def. Jaqueline Adina Cristian (ROU), 6-2 6-4
Billie Jean King Cup 2023 Qualifiers: Results from Day One (April 14)
Spain [1] leads Mexico, 2-0 - Club de Tenis Puente Romano, Marbella, Spain
Nuria Parrizas Diaz (ESP) def. Renata Zarazua (MEX), 6-4 6-3
Sara Sorribes Tormo (ESP) def. Fernanda Contreras Gomez (MEX), 6-0 6-0
Czechia [2] leads Ukraine, 2-0 - Megasaray Club Belek, Antalya, Turkey (neutral)
Marketa Vondrousova (CZE) def. Marta Kostyuk (UKR), 6-2 6-1
Barbora Krejcikova (CZE) def. Katarina Zavatksa (UKR), 6-4 6-3
France [3] leads Great Britain, 2-0 - Coventry Building Society Arena, Coventry, Great BritainCaroline Garcia (FRA) def. Katie Boulter (GBR), 6-7(2) 7-6(4) 7-6(2)
Alize Corner (FRA) def. Harriet Dart (GBR), 7-6(6) 7-6(3)
Canada [4] is tied with Belgium, 1-1 - Pacific Coliseum, Vancouver, Canada
Leylah Fernandez (CAN) def. Yanina Wickmayer (BEL), 6-0 6-3
Ysaline Bonaventure (BEL) def. Rebecca Marino (CAN), 4-6 6-4 6-4
**United States [5] leads Austria, 2-0 - Delray Beach Tennis Center, Delray Beach, USA
**Coco Gauff (USA) def. Julia Grabher (AUT), 6-1 6-3
Jessica Pegula (USA) def. Sinja Kraus (AUT), 6-0 7-5
Italy leads Slovakia [6], 2-0 - NTC Arena, Bratislava, Slovakia
Martina Trevisan (ITA) def. Viktoria Kuzmova (SVK), 7-6(9) 6-3
Camila Giorgi (ITA) def. Anna Karolina Schmiedlova (SVK), 6-2 6-3
Germany [7] is tied with Brazil, 1-1 - Porsche-Arena, Stuttgart, Germany
Beatriz Haddad Maia (BRA) def. Anna-Lena Friedsam (GER), 3-6 6-4 6-3
Tatjana Maria (GER) def. Laura Pigossi (BRA), 6-3 3-6 7-5
Kazakhstan [8] leads Poland, 2-0 - National Tennis Centre, Astana, Kazakhstan
Yulia Putintseva (KAZ) def. Magda Linette (POL), 7-5 6-3
Elena Rybakina (KAZ) def. Weronika Folkowska (POL), 6-3 6-4
Romania [9] leads Slovenia, 2-0 - Sport Park Bonifika, Koper, Slovenia
Jaqueline Cristian (ROU) def. Tamara Zidansek (SLO) 6-1 4-6 6-3
Ana Bogdan (ROU) def. Kaja Juvan (SLO), 3-6 6-3 6-4
How to watch the Billie Jean King Cup 2023
Streaming of all ties will be available on the Billie Jean King Cup Live Centre, which requires a paid subscription.
Geographical and territorial restrictions may apply.