World No. 10 Elena Rybakina helped her Kazakhstan team defeat Australia 2-1 on the first day of Billie Jean King Cup qualifying Thursday in Brisbane, Australia.
After Yulia Putintseva beat Maya Joint 6-2, 6-1, Rybakina ensured Kazakhstan clinched a point in Group D by taking down Kimberly Birrell 6-3, 7-6 (4). Rybakina hit seven aces, won 26 of 32 first-service points (81.3 percent) and converted 4 of 9 break-point opportunities.
The Australians avoided a shutout by winning the doubles match as Storm Hunter and Ellen Perez topped Anna Danilina and Zhibek Kulambayeva 6-3, 6-4.
Eighteen nations are competing in six groups of three Thursday through Sunday. The winners of each group will advance to the Billie Jean King Cup finals later this year, joined by host China and defending champion Italy. The other 12 teams will then compete in the playoffs to avoid relegation to Group I.
Also Thursday, the Czech Republic earned a 2-1 victory over Brazil to open Group B in Ostrava, Czech Republic.
Marie Bouzkova defeated Laura Pigossi 6-0, 7-6 (3), and Linda Noskova handed Beatriz Haddad Maia a 6-4, 6-0 defeat to put the hosts up by two. Haddad Maia teamed with Luisa Stefani in doubles to defeat Noskova and Tereza Valentova 6-4, 7-6 (4).
In Group E, Poland swept Switzerland 3-0 in Radom, Poland. Katarzyna Kawa charged past Jil Teichmann 5-7, 6-4, 6-2; Magda Linette beat Viktorija Golubic 6-4, 6-3; and Maja Chwalinska and Martyna Kubka defeated Teichmann and Celine Naef 6-3, 4-6, 6-2.
In Group F, the Dutch team blanked Germany 3-0 in The Hague, Netherlands. Eva Vedder topped Jule Niemeier 6-3, 6-1; Suzan Lamens rallied past Tatjana Maria 3-6, 6-3, 7-5; and Lamens and Demi Schuurs edged Anna-Lena Friedsam and Laura Siegemund 7-6 (5), 7-5.
The U.S. team is in Group C and will not play its first match till Saturday vs. Denmark before finishing up against host Slovakia on Sunday.
–Field Level Media
