Australia’s Storm Hunter gained her doubles match on the Billie Jean King Cup Finals – regardless of solely touchdown in Seville a couple of hours earlier than the match and dropping her baggage.
Nevertheless, her win alongside Kimberly Birrell couldn’t cease the 2022 runners-up dropping to Slovenia.
“It was clearly a fast turnaround, however for me, representing my nation is the best honour,” Hunter mentioned.
Afterward the opening day, holders Switzerland misplaced to the Czech Republic.
Hunter, who’s the world’s top-ranked doubles participant, was among the many stars who needed to journey from the season-ending WTA Finals in Mexico to the BJK Cup Finals, which began on Tuesday in Spanish metropolis Seville.
Hunter performed alongside Belgium’s Elise Mertens in Cancun on Sunday, when the pair misplaced within the semi-finals.
“It has been a busy 24 hours. As quickly as I completed in Cancun, I attempted to get right here as quickly I may. Ended up touchdown at 8-8:30am this morning,” Hunter mentioned.
“Luggage did not arrive, in order that made it a bit tough, however I had some racquets on me and I used to be ready to play. I had my outfit, my footwear, and mentally I used to be able to go if our group wanted that.”
Within the 12-nation girls’s group occasion previously referred to as the Fed Cup, Slovenia secured victory on their finals debut after Kaja Juvan and Tamara Zidansek gained their singles matches.
Juvan gained 6-4 6-1 towards Ajla Tomljanovic, who has spent many of the season sidelined following knee surgical procedure, earlier than Zidansek beat Daria Saville 6-1 6-4.
Hunter and Birrell gained 7-5 6-7 (2-7) 10-5 towards Veronika Erjavec and Ela Milic for what may show to be an necessary match win within the round-robin stage.
Afterward Tuesday, Czech debutants Marie Bouzkova and Linda Noskova gained their singles matches to clinch victory towards the Swiss.
It gave the Czechs an unassailable lead within the best-of-three tie, with doubles pair Barbora Krejcikova and Katerina Siniakova securing a clear sweep.
Switzerland had been with out Olympic champion Belinda Bencic, who introduced her being pregnant final week, as Celine Naef was crushed 7-6 (7-2) 4-6 6-4 by fellow 18-year-old Noskova and Viktorija Golubic misplaced 6-4 6-4 to Bouzkova.
The Czechs, who gained the latest of their 11 titles in 2018, rested Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova after she performed within the WTA Finals final week.
However Krejcikova and Siniakova, who additionally took half within the season-ending occasion, confirmed no in poor health results of the lengthy journey and brief turnaround as they gained 7-6 (7-3) 6-2 towards Golubic and Jil Teichmann.