By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Friday November 4, 2021
Belinda Bencic won her singles and doubles rubbers to power Swiss into the Billie Jean King Cup semis.
Photo Source: BJK Cup
Slap a Swiss flag on Belinda Bencic’s warmup gear and rest assured, she’ll produce something special on a tennis court.
The Olympic gold medal winner in singles and silver medal winner in doubles rose to the occasion on Thursday in Prague, winning both her ties to place Team Switzerland in the semifinals at the Billie Jean King Cup.
Bencic topped World No.3 Barbora Krejcikova 7-6(2), 6-4, to bring Switzerland level at one apiece, then she paired with Jil Teichmann to defeat Lucie Hradecka and Katerina Siniakova, 6-3, 6-3.
The Swiss will face Australia, a surprise winner again on Thursday against Belarus, on Friday.
Ajla Tomljanovic and Storm Sanders guided the Aussies to the top of Group B with singles victory on Thursday. The green and gold are third on the all-time title list at the competition, having won seven Billie Jean King Cup titles, but none since 1974. They were heavy underdogs against Belgium in their first tie of the week but Daria Gavrilova, ranked 412 and playing her first match since the Australian Open due to achilles surger, and Storm Sanders, ranked 131, pulled out improbable wins to set the tone for the competition.
On Thursday it was Tomljanovic and Sanders who made sure the momentum wasn't squandered.
"There's no greater feeling, I was happy that I could come out today and the fact that I got a point makes me unbelievably happy," Tomljanovic, ranked 43, said.
Switzerland has reached the final twice, but never won it.
Eighteen-time Billie Jean King Cup champions Team USA will face will face four-time champs Russia in the other semifinal.