Billy Jean Cup: Billy Jean extends World Cup No. 1 Iga Sweettech’s winning streak to 18 in the King’s Cup. Iga Sweettech marked the 18th victory in her first match as the world number one as she led Poland closer to the Billy Jean King Cup final on Friday. Follow Insidesport.IN for more updates
The 203-year-old 123rd-ranked Mihaila lost to Bujarnescu 6-1, 6-0 just five minutes after five service breaks while the Polar Reds were 2-0 up against Romania in their qualifiers.
With 17 wins together on the way to the title in Doha, Indian Wells and Miami, Sweetech went to the qualifiers on a heated stream. Before Magda Linette, veteran Irina-Camelia lost to Begu 6-1, 4-6, 6-2.
Monte Carlo Masters Read more: Novak Djokovic Slayer Davidovich loses to Fokina Fritz to reach first Masters semifinals
US Open champion Emma Radukanu’s 7-5, 7-5 win over Tereza Martinkova helped tie the tie at 11-1 against 11-time champion Czech Republic. Playing on clay court for the first time as a professional, Radukanu won in just two hours.
The 19-year-old showed no bad effects of losing his toenails in demanding surface training earlier this week. The Czechs, led by two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova and former world number one Carolina Pliskova, had a 1-0 lead thanks to Merceta Vondrosova, who beat Harriet Dart 6-1, 6-0.
Billy Jean Cup: Billy Jean extends winning streak in King’s Cup at World No. 1 Iga Sweettech 18
Kazakhstan also has a foothold in the final after Nur-Sultan opened the scoring with a 2-0 win over Germany. Yulia Putinseva defeated Angelique Karbar 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 to set the national record for the 15th single victory in the rebranded Fed Cup tournament.
“For me, playing the first match of the clay court season is always difficult. This is not my favorite page, “said Karbar, a three-time major winner. “I played well in the first set but then he came back and played better.”
Billy Jean Cup: Billy Jean extends winning streak in King’s Cup at World No. 1 Iga Sweettech 18
Elena Rybakina then lost to Laura Sigmund 6-1, 6-0, and the Kazakhs needed just one point to win Saturday’s doubles and two reverse singles. In all, seven qualifiers are being played on Friday and Saturday.
The winners will join Switzerland, Australia, Belgium and Slovakia in the final later this year. Defending champions Russia as well as Belarus have both been expelled from the Billy Jean King Cup due to the Ukraine attack.
Billy Jean Cup: Billy Jean extends winning streak in King’s Cup at World No. 1 Iga Sweettech 18
Follow Insidesport.IN for more updates
