Australia will play Slovakia in the Billie Jean King Cup quarter-finals after the Europeans upset the USA in a thriller in Malaga.
The ITF had billed the round-of-16 tie a “David versus Goliath battle” after Slovak Viktoria Hruncakova warned the US “we are a small country, but we have a big heart”.
And so it proved as Hruncakova and Tereza Mihalikova hung on in the deciding doubles rubber to seal a 2-1 victory for Slovakia with a tense 6-3 3-6 10-8 win over Taylor Townsend and Ashlyn Krueger.
In a dramatic finale, the Slovak pair almost squandered a 9-2 lead in the match tiebreaker, letting six match points slip before pulling through.
Hruncakova threw herself to the ground in celebration, and then sobbed in her chair, overcome by the moment.
The doubles duo were given the opportunity to fight for victory after teammate Rebecca Sramkova pushed the tie to a decider with a shock 6-2 7-5 win over world No.11 and 2022 Australian Open finalist Danielle Collins.
“I still have no words,” Sramkova said after delivering the biggest win of her career.
Townsend had given the 18-times champions a 1-0 lead in the tie with a 7-5 6-4 win over 17-year-old debutant Renata Jamrichova in the opening match of the night.
Bidding to reach the Billie Jean King Cup semi-finals for the fourth time in five years, Australia will face Slovakia on Sunday night.
New captain Samantha Stosur has picked a versatile team comprising long-time spearheads Ajla Tomljanovic and Daria Saville along with rising star Olivia Gadecki, the resurgent Kim Birrell and doubles ace Ellen Perez.
Content Source: www.perthnow.com.au