United States and Their Ambition in the BJKC: "We Are Not Here to Reach Semifinals"

Streaming ATP Hangzhou live tennis

🎾 Aleksandar Vukic vs Alexander Bublik

1. Sign up with Bet365 here
2. Make your first deposit of at least €5
3. Go to the “Live” section and watch every match

Watch the match on Bet365

 PUBLICIDAD

They have to explain to me how a country that has four players in the current top 10 has not been able to win the Billie Jean King Cup since 2017. Moreover, how is it possible that the United States has only won the competition once this century? It's hard to believe, but the reality is that this event has long ceased to be a primary goal for the country. Somehow, the one who has paid for this lack of interest is the captain, Lindsay Davenport, although there's a feeling that things may change this week.

With Emma Navarro, Jessica Pegula, and Taylor Townsend managing to defeat Kazakhstan this afternoon, who pushed the match to a third doubles point thanks to a stellar Elena Rybakina. Pegula lost to her, but then redeemed herself by partnering with Taylor. With the job done, the three protagonists went to the press conference to share their impressions of a first series that clearly shows the intentions of a nation that hadn't reached the semifinals since 2021.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT

"I'm very happy and proud of all the team members. We knew it was going to be very difficult since we saw how the draw ended up a couple of months ago, so today we came prepared for the battle. Emma was exceptional in finding a way to win her match; I was never sure she would win. We knew how important this match was to gain momentum, although Rybakina played very well, and there wasn't much Jessica could do. Finally, we knew we had a great advantage in doubles; we have two of the best in the world in this category, both have been ranked No. 1, so I'm very happy to have the opportunity to compete again on Saturday."

"We didn't come here just to reach the semifinals; this is just the first step in what we knew would be a tough week, so we are thrilled to return to the court this Saturday. We will be very attentive to what happens tonight, ready to face whichever team in the semifinals." [Great Britain defeated Japan]

JESSICA PEGULA

"First of all, I knew that no matter what happened, I would be available for the doubles. I had to change my mindset very quickly, but I've done it many times in my career. I've played in this competition many times, both singles and doubles; I usually play both. During the break, all I did was rest, change clothes, eat something, and return to the court. I took it as a challenge; I wanted to redeem myself a bit against her, try to help my team. Although I couldn't achieve the goal in singles, I did manage to do it in doubles. It had been a long time since I played with Taylor, so it was fun to reunite. We exceeded our opponents' game plan, two tough opponents, luckily we know each other quite well."

"I love playing with a left-handed partner, although it seems we had barely played four matches in our entire lives. Taylor makes my life much easier; I believe our styles complement each other very well. She is a tremendous doubles player; she could probably play with anyone. I am a very solid baseline player, but especially when my partner is serving and returning well, something Taylor always does. Also, I know she will always be there at the net to handle all volleys; that's why our games fit so well together."

"I played in Shenzhen for a long time, when a WTA tournament is held here. I remember doing quite well, but it's been a long time since the last time. It's nice to be back; I will always remember it as a really great city, even though the matches are usually played very early, I think there are always many fans, which makes everything fun and supportive. So far, it has been a great experience; the center court is amazing, I knew the WTA Finals were played here. They have very good facilities, a great setup; I'm in my first BJKC Finals, and I'm really impressed."

TAYLOR TOWNSEND

"I felt that throughout the match, we were doing the right things, although the opposing pair started to do much better in the second set, they changed some things and became more dangerous. In the end, this is something you always expect when you're on the court. We also raised our level, although we were always committed to what we were doing, in the end, it was what was working for us. We were very focused on doing the right things, having great energy to keep the team together, along with Lindsay on the bench. Flowing with this energy always helps the whole team; we had a great time, especially to get the victory."

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Estados Unidos y su ambición en la BJKC: “No estamos aquí para llegar a semifinales”