Preview: Slovakia v Australia
16/11/2024 16:59
Fresh from defeating USA in their first tie on Thursday, Slovakia now face ‘another big tennis country’ and are determined to deliver the same result
By Ross McLean
What’s at stake?
A place in the Billie Jean King Cup by Gainbridge semi-finals awaits the winning nation.
Slovakia are bidding to reach the semis for the first time since 2013 when they lost 3-2 to Russia in Moscow after leading 2-0 in the tie. The clash was determined by doubles as Ekaterina Makarova and Elena Vesnina prevailed.
Australia, meanwhile, are hoping to reach the last four for the fourth time in five years, including 2022 when they finished as runners-up. That was only their second appearance in a Billie Jean King Cup final since 1993.
Slovakia have already cut their teeth at the 2024 Finals and stunned 18-time champions USA on Thursday to seal their quarter-final berth. Australia last played in April’s Qualifiers when they defeated Mexico 4-0 in Brisbane.
History
Australia have won all three previous encounters with Slovakia dating back to 1995. The most recent of these came at the 2022 Finals when Australia triumphed 2-1 following singles wins for Storm Hunter and Ajla Tomljanovic.
There have been seven further showdowns when Czechia competed as Czechoslovakia, with Australia winning three of those. The first clash between Australia and Czechoslovakia took place in 1970.
Who to look out for?
Although the decisive blow was administered by Viktoria Hruncakova and Tereza Mihalikova in the doubles on Thursday, Rebecca Sramkova played a starring role as Slovakia defeated USA.
Sramkova defeated Daneille Collins for what, by ranking, was the biggest victory of her career. It was also her first Billie Jean King Cup match-win since 2017 and came on her first competition appearance in four years.
The 2024 season has been the best of Sramkova’s career. She won her first WTA title at September’s Thailand Open in Hua Hin, while she currently occupies a career-high WTA singles ranking of No. 43.
Olivia Gadecki has returned to the Australia roster for the first time since 2021 when she made her Billie Jean King Cup debut during her nation’s 2-1 victory against Belarus.
The 22-year-old has also enjoyed a career-best season and in September reached her first WTA final at the Guadalajara Open where she lost to Poland’s Magdalena Frech.
She surged to a career-high No. 83 in the WTA rankings in October and she could well prove to be a shrewd addition to the Australia team at the 2024 Finals.
Who is saying what?
Olivia Gadecki: “It’s an incredible honour to wear the green and gold. It’s something that I strive to do every single year and I'm really excited to get out there and compete.”
Slovakia captain Matej Liptak: “Australia are another big country, another big tennis country. It’s another challenge for a small country but everything we showed on court against USA we will show again against Australia.”
