Spain defeated Kazakhstan 3-0, and the USA edged Poland 2-1 in the Billie Jean King Cup finals

• Spain defeated Kazakhstan 3-0 to secure a clean sweep, and the USA defeated Poland 2-1
• Nuria Parrizas Diaz and Paula Badosa both overcame break points in the decisive set to win
• Badosa entered the second rubber of the match with a 3-1 record against Rybakina

On an action-packed Day 2 of the Billie Jean King Cup Finals, which took place here on Thursday, Spain defeated Kazakhstan 3-0 to secure a clean sweep, and the USA defeated Poland 2-1.

In the evening session, all four singles rubbers required three sets. In Group C, Nuria Parrizas Diaz and Paula Badosa both overcame break points in the decisive set to win two high-caliber matches against Yulia Putintseva and Elena Rybakina, respectively, with scores of 6-4, 3-6, 7-6(5) and 6-2, 3-6, 6-4.

Parrizas Diaz quickly outran an uneasy Putintseva 5-1 to take the lead. But once the No. 51-ranked Kazakh, who had defeated Katie Boulter on Day 1 after coming back from a set down, found her rhythm, she seemed to be headed for a second consecutive comeback.

Putintseva used clever point structuring and razor-sharp precision, even from defensive situations, to win 11 of the following 14 games. It was too late to save the first set, but it was enough to give her a 2-0 lead in the third.

But Parrizas Diaz maintained her composure throughout a string of close deuce games, relentlessly hitting the corners with her forceful flad strokes. Twenty-one of the World No. 72’s 39 victories came in the third set. Parrizas Diaz stuck to her game plan even after she missed two match points when serving at 5-4.

After saving two more match opportunities in the ensuing tiebreak with two bullet winners down the line, Parrizas Diaz converted her sixth opportunity when a Putintseva forehand missed the mark after two hours and forty minutes.

Badosa entered the second rubber of the match with a 3-1 record against Rybakina, and for the third time in their history, she prevailed in three sets despite dropping the middle set. The World No. 13 sealed a commanding first set with a serving masterclass, winning 100% of the points she won while landing 67% of her first serves.

The Wimbledon winner, in contrast, had a foothold in the match once Rybakina’s 30 percent first serve rate in the opening set improved. Only one break point was created in the second set, and Rybakina capitalised on it to take a decisive 5-3 lead when Badosa’s backhand failed.

But Rybakina’s forehand started to go awry up a break in the third set. She made 18 unforced errors in the match’s decisive set compared to eight in the second set, but Badosa recaptured her powerful form from the opening set to secure a victory in 2 hours, 5 minutes on her Billie Jean King Cup debut.

In the final doubles match, Badosa and Aliona Bolsova helped Spain achieve a clean sweep by defeating Putintseva and Anna Danilina 6-4, 6-2. On Day 3, Spain will play Great Britain to wrap off Group C. The possibility of all three clubs making it to the semifinals remains.

For the first time since Miami, Coco Gauff and Caty McNally teamed up to win the first match determined by the third doubles rubber, giving the USA the victory by defeating Magda Linette and Alicja Rosolska 6-1, 6-2 in just 47 minutes.

Earlier, in 2 hours and 9 minutes, Danielle Collins defeated the tenacious Magdalena Frech with scores of 6-4, 3-6, and 7-6(2). Collins frequently lost his cool in a classic offence vs defence struggle, but the Australian Open champion finished the match with a nearly faultless display in the tiebreak.

By dominating Madison Keys 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 in the second singles game, Linette evened the score. Three weeks prior in Guadalajara, Linette had fallen to Keys in straight sets, but she turned the tables on him to earn her third Top 20 victory of 2022.

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