Tennis - Billie Jean King Cup Finals - Australia v Slovakia - Palacio de Deportes Jose Maria Martin Carpena Arena, Malaga, Spain - November 17, 2024 Slovakia's Viktoria Hruncakova celebrates winning her match against Australia's Kimberly Birrell REUTERS/Jon Nazca
MALAGA, Spain (Reuters) - Slovakia knocked out Australia to move into the Billie Jean King Cup semi-finals for the first time since 2002 after singles victories by Viktoria Hruncakova and Rebecca Sramkova gave the them an unassailable 2-0 lead on Sunday.
Hruncakova overcame Kimberly Birrell with a hardfought 7-5 6-7(4) 6-3 win in a match lasting two hours and 30 minutes.
Hruncakova, 126 places below Birrell in the rankings, hit 32 winners while the Australian made 37 unforced errors.
World number 43 Sramkova stunned Ajla Tomljanovic with a ruthless performance, beating the former Wimbledon and U.S. Open quarter-finalist 6-1 6-2. Tomljanovic was struggling with a knee issue.
Slovakia had shocked record 18-times champions the United States on Thursday to reach the quarter-finals.
Slovakia will face either defending champions Canada or Britain for a place in the final. Poland and Italy have booked their places in the last four.
(Reporting by Pearl Josephine Nazare in Bengaluru, editing by Ed Osmond)
