BJK Cup: Alizé Cornet’s players qualified for the elite promotion playoff

Facing Serbia this Saturday for their final qualifying match, the players of the French BJK Cup team won their duel. A relief for captain Alizé Cornet.

Forced to play an additional match after yesterday’s failure against Hungary, the French Billie Jean King Cup team (BJK Cup, Editor’s note) faced Serbia, who were beaten yesterday by the Swedes. The objective was simple: win to access the World Tour playoffs final next November.

To do this, the Blues had to overcome a solid team on paper, even without their star player, Olga Danilovic. The Serbian team was composed of Teodora Kostovic (18 years old, 161st in the world), Lola Radivojevic (21 years old, 145th in the world), Aleksandra Krunic (33 years old, 8th in the world in doubles and former 36th in singles) and Natalija Senic (23 years old, 366th in the world). A young team, guided by a former top-ranked player, who had strong arguments to shake up the girls of captain Alizé Cornet.

This was indeed verified from the first match, which pitted Sarah Rakotomanga against Teodora Kostovic. Two players who embody the new generation of tennis, with impressive rise to the top level over the past few months. In this first close-fought duel, it was ultimately the Frenchwoman who prevailed after a match lasting more than three hours. After losing the first set 6-3 while playing from behind, the match was off to a bad start. Pushed to a tie-break after saving two match points at 5-5, Sarah Rakotomanga showed great mental strength to clinch the second set 7-6(5). Her opponent never recovered and eventually gave way in the final set, giving France the first point of the day (3-6, 7-6, 6-2).

Elsa Jacquemot concludes five days of competition

Half the work was done. It remained for Elsa Jacquemot to complete the week for the French team players. Facing Lola Radivojevic, France’s number 1 in this Billie Jean King Cup had to deliver for what turned out to be the last match for the Tricolors.

Unlike the first match, Elsa Jacquemot did not falter in the first set, winning 6-4 despite conceding two breaks. In the second set, the priority was to maintain her service hold. In this regard, it was the Serbian who managed to make the difference late in the set to draw level: 4-6.

As we were heading toward a third set that promised to be stressful, the quality of service improved significantly as the decisive set progressed. And unlike the previous set, it was Elsa Jacquemot who fared best by breaking late in the set to win the match (6-4/4-6/6-3) in 2h22.

A victory that meant relief for captain Alizé Cornet and her players, who had to battle to escape this playoff and qualifying phase. The French finally secured the third ticket to face one of the teams that lost in their first round in the World Group. Among them are already Australia, Canada, Japan, Spain, Poland and, surprisingly, the USA, who are already looking like bogeymen. Switzerland or the Czech Republic could also be part of it next November.

Hoping that the French can count on the returns of Loïs Boisson, Diane Parry and, why not, Varvara Gracheva if she can recover from her torn anterior cruciate ligament in her left knee.

The fact remains that the battle predicted at the start of the competition by Alizé Cornet did indeed take place. Now, the appointment is set for November.