London | Slovenia win Group G at BJK Cup Play-Offs

Slovenia defeated India at the Billie Jean King Cup by Gainbridge Play-offs Group G event in Bengaluru to book their place at the 2026 Qualifiers, having won 2 ties in 2 days, while the action at the other 7 Play-off events is set to go down to the final day of play.

I just wanted to give my 100 percent and play my best tennis. I think I was able to do that. Definitely, a little disappointed that I couldn’t get the win for my team. Shrivalli Bhamidipaty

In the first tie of Day 2 in Hobart, Brazil defeated Portugal 3-0 to set up a winner-takes-all showdown with hosts Australia in Group E, while Canada edged past Denmark, 2-1, and will face hosts Mexico in Monterrey to determine the winners of Group A on Sunday.

In Europe, Romania defeated New Zealand, 3-0, and Croatia overcame Colombia, 2-1, and, on Day 3, Romania will play Poland in Group B, while Croatia will take on Czechia in Group C, with the winners set to advance to the Qualifiers.

For the second consecutive day, there was drama in Group F, with Belgium edging past Turkiye to keep the group alive, and the Belgians will face Germany on Sunday.

2024 runners-up Slovakia suffered a 2nd defeat of the week, falling to Switzerland in Cordoba, and the Swiss will play hosts Argentina on Sunday for a place in next year’s Qualifiers.

Team Slovenia book their place at the 2026 Qualifiers / Facebook

Ranked 381 on the WTA Tour, India’s 23-year-old Shrivalli Bhamidipaty found herself up against a far more experienced opponent in Slovenia’s Tamara Zidanšek, the 2021 French Open semi-finalist and former World No 22.

The opening match at the SM Krishna Tennis Stadium was a meeting between a first-timer on a big stage and a seasoned 27-year-old, who knew exactly when to shift gears.

The 5 ft 11 Indian played above her ranking, pushing her opponent to 3 sets before going down, 6-3 4-6 6-1, in 2 hours and 19-minutes on Saturday.

“I just wanted to give my 100 percent and play my best tennis. I think I was able to do that. Definitely, a little disappointed that I couldn’t get the win for my team,” said Bhamidipaty after the match.

With the home crowd behind her, Bhamidipaty needed time to find her rhythm, and finally herself got on the board in the 29th minute, but, by then, Zidansek had surged ahead, 4–1, and eventually sealed the opener in 51 minutes.

The second set proved to be a different story, as Bhamidipaty snatched a 2–0 lead, and extended it to 5–1.

Zidansek mounted a brief come-back, but the Indian, who fired 6 aces on the day, held her nerve to force the rubber into a deciding set.

Taking advantage of Bhamidipaty’s subsequent dip in form in the third, Zidansek raced out to a 5–1 lead, shutting the door on any hopes of a late Indian come-back.

In the end, Slovenia had good reason to celebrate, as Kaja Juvan, ranked 98, wrapped up a 6–4 6–2 win over India’s Sahaja Yamalapalli in an hour and 30 minutes, claiming the rubber between the two No 1 players.

In the dead doubles, the Indian pair of Ankita Raina & Prarthana Thombare secured a come-from-behind 1-6 6-3 [10-7] win over Nika Radisic & Dalila Jakupovic of Slovenia in an hour 22 minutes.

Slovenia, though, had seen off a spirited challenge from hosts India, secure in the knowledge that they will advance to the 2026 Qualifiers as the outright winners of Group G with their 2-1 win, while India and the Netherlands, defeated by Slovenia on Friday, will battle it out on Sunday.

Victoria Mboko guided 2023 champions Canada to a win over Denmark in Group A

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Meanwhile, teenager Victoria Mboko guided 2023 champions Canada to a winning start in Group A.

Playing in Monterrey, Mexico, Mboko, the Canadian No 1, won her singles match to help Canada level the tie with Denmark at 1-1, after Rebecca Munk Mortensen had edged Cadence Brace, 3-6 7-6(4) 7-6(4), in the opening rubber.

For a player who has never cracked the Top 500 in the WTA Singles Rankings, 20-year old Munk Mortensen knows how to play in the big matches, and gave Denmark a head start with a gritty performance, surviving 9 match points to beat Brace in an epic 3 hour 38 minute contest.

The two 20-year-olds, with a big gap in their rankings, Munk Mortensen is placed 595 on the WTA Rankings while Brace is No 184 in the world, played out possibly the match of the Play-offs.

Every time the Dane was pushed into a corner, be it losing the first set, or facing match point on Brace’s serve in the second, or trailing 0-40, 5-6 in the deciding set, she came out fighting.

In those critical moments, her forehand dazzled, dictating play and unsettling her opponent.

The marathon 12th game, which lasted over 10 minutes and stretched to 6 deuces, told the story of the match in a nutshell.

Brace had 8 chances to break Munk Mortensen’s serve and close out the match, but the Dane had one game point, and pounced on that to stretch matters into the tiebreak, where her composure and grit on the big points helped the Dane over the finish line.

19-year-old Mboko then returned to the court with Gabriela Dabrowski in the doubles, and together they clinched the decider, 6-2 6-4, for Canada.

Jana Fett (L) & Petra Marcinko of Croatia celebrate after winning against Camila Osorio Serrano & Yuliana Lizarazo of Colombia at Arena Varazdin on Saturday

Photo by Srdjan Stevanovic/Starsport.rs

In Group F, Turkiye could not repeat their heroics from Day 1, and went down to Belgium, 2-1.

That result gives hosts 6th-seeded Germany a lifeline in the group standings, and makes for an intriguing final day of action, with all 3 teams still in the running to progress.

New Zealand and Portugal suffered their 2nd straight 3-0 defeats, to Romania and Brazil respectively, and will drop down to Regional Group I in 2026, along with India, Netherlands, Slovakia, Denmark and Colombia.

Slovakia were beaten on Saturday 2-1 by Switzerland, while Colombia went down by the same scoreline to Croatia in Group D.

Slovenia are the only team to have secured top spot and progression to the BJK Cup Qualifiers so far, setting up a thrilling Day 3 on Sunday.

In each of Groups A, B, C, D and E, the last tie will effectively work as a knock-out, with the winning team advancing to the Qualifiers.

The equation is slightly more complicated in Group F, with Turkiye, Germany and Belgium all still in with a chance.

While Belgium can advance if they beat Germany by any scoreline on Sunday, Germany will have to win 3-0 to ensure their progression.

If Germany win 2-1, all three teams will finish on 1-1 ties win-loss and 3-3 matches win-loss; the group will be decided by best sets-won percentage.

Here’s a look at all the results across the Play-off groups so far, and the remaining schedule:

billiejeancup.com

Day 2 Detailed ResultsGroup A – Canada d Denmark 2-1

Club Sonoma, Monterrey, Mexico

• Rebecca Munk Mortensen (DEN) d. Cadence Brace (CAN) 3-6 7-6(4) 7-6(4)
• Victoria Mboko (CAN) d. Johanne Christine Svendsen (DEN) 7-5 6-3
• Gabriela Dabrowski/Victoria Mboko (CAN) d. Emma Kamper/Johanne Christine Svendsen (DEN) 6-2 6-4

Group B – Romania defeated New Zealand 3-0