By Alberto Amalfi | Tuesday, November 8, 2022
Yulia Putintseva brought fire and Wimbledon winner Elena Rybakina delivered force in a pair of singles wins to lead Kazakhstan.
Photo credit: Getty
Great Britain played gracious host and Kazakhstan crashed its party.
Yulia Putintseva brought fire and Wimbledon winner Elena Rybakina delivered force in a pair of singles wins to lead Kazakhstan to an insurmountable 2-0 lead over Great Britain at the Billie Jean King Cup Finals in Glasgow, Scotland.
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Kazakhstan is 1-0, while Team GB falls to 0-1 in Group C of the round-robin event held on hard court at the Emirates Arena.
The powerful Rybakina won eight of the first nine games dismissing Harriet Dart 6-1, 6-4 to stake Kazakhstan to a 2-0 lead in the best-of-three match tie. Rybakina doubled Dart's winner output, 16 to 8, and won 20 of 26 first-serve points.
A pumped-up Putintseva won eight of the last 11 games rallying by Katie Boulter 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 in opening singles play.
Serving for the opening set, Boulter ran around her backhand and blasted an inside-out forehand followed by a forehand down the line for set point. When Putintseva's backhand return strayed wide, Great Britain had a one-set lead.
At times, Putintseva looked late on her forehand swing in the first set. In the second set, Putintseva picked up the pace of her footwork and was hitting her two-handed backhand with more menacing intent. Putintseva broke for a 4-2 second-set lead then confirmed the break with a love hold for 5-2 before snatching the second set.
Quick off the mark, Putintseva burst up to a drop shot and offered wise reply for triple break point.
When Boulter flattened a forehand drive volley into net, Kazakhstan had the break to start the final set.
Putintseva pumped an ace down the middle backing up the break with a love hold and loud "come on!" Putintseva converted four of 12 break points in a two hour, 10-minute victory.
Spain, led by 2021 Indian Wells champion Paula Badosa, is the third team in Group C and will face Kazakhstan tomorrow. The Group C winner will advance to Saturday's semifinals.
The championship tie is Sunday, November 13.
Click here for the full Billie Jean King Cup schedule.
Tennis Channel is broadcasting the competition in the U.S.
Photo credit: Getty