- Switzerland wins their opening duel at the Billie Jean King Cup against Italy 3-0.
- Jil Teichmann (WTA 35) wins her single against Elisabetta Cocciaretto (WTA 65) after more than three hours in three sets.
- Belinda Bencic (WTA 12) defeats Jasmine Paolini (WTA 59) 7:5 and 6:3 and secures the second and decisive point for Switzerland.
- In the final, but insignificant doubles game, Bencic/Teichmann also get the 3rd point for Captain Heinz Günthardt’s team.
The Swiss women’s tennis team presented at the final tournament of the Billie Jean King Cup in Glasgow. Thanks to victories by Belinda Bencic and Jil Teichmann, last year’s finalists were already 2-0 up before the final doubles game. Bencic/Teichmann finally won 7:6 (7:5), 6:1 against the Italian duo Paolini/Martina Trevisan.
The Swiss team leader and world number 12 had previously scored the second and decisive point against Jasmine Paolini (WTA 59) thanks to a 7:5, 6:3 win. The first set was hard fought. When Bencic served to the set at 6-5, she fell 0-40 behind but fended off all three break chances.
In the second round, the 25-year-old from Eastern Switzerland missed a quick 2-0 lead, but after another break to make it 4-3, she didn’t let anything burn.
Teichmann’s three-hour fight
Teichmann had taken the first step towards the opening win. The Swiss world number 35 won her singles against Elisabetta Cocciaretto, who was 30 positions worse, after defending against a match point 6: 3, 4: 6, 7: 6 (7: 5).
It was a real roller coaster ride that the 25-year-old left-hander experienced with the Italian, four years her junior. Teichmann apparently led decisively 6:3 and 4:2 before losing six games in a row. A real battle of attrition developed in the deciding set. The first three games in the third round alone lasted over half an hour and included no fewer than 46 (!) points.
In the meantime, the Swiss lost four service games in a row. She fended off a match point when the score was 3:5 and managed to turn the game around. So it was only logical that after more than three hours a tie-break had to bring the decision. In this they use their third match point.
Against Canada on Thursday
In the second game of the group, Switzerland meets Canada on Friday. Only the group winners qualify for Saturday’s semi-finals.
