Ajla Tomljanovic and Kimberly Birrell have fallen quick in opposition to an impressed Slovakia as Australia’s hopes for a fourth semifinal in 5 years finish.
Malaga, Spain, 18 November 2024 | Dan Imhoff
Australia’s focus in Malaga will flip to the Davis Cup after its Billie Jean King Cup marketing campaign ended in opposition to Slovakia within the quarterfinals.
The Australian group, a finalist as lately as 2022 and 2019, had aimed to succeed in the semifinals for the fourth time in 5 years, however fell 2-0 to their opponents, who had surprised a depleted United States within the spherical of 16.
World No.241 Viktoria Hruncakova downed Kimberly Birrell 7-5 6-7(7) 6-3 earlier than in-form 43-ranked Rebecca Sramkova beat Ajla Tomljanovic 6-1 6-2 at Marten Carpena Area.
Tomljanovic’s first-set on-court tumble, which required remedy on her left knee, compounded the tough loss, however group captain Sam Stosur, in her first 12 months on the helm, was happy with the group’s efforts.
A tricky approach to finish our 2024 #BJKCup marketing campaign 💔
Properly performed Ajla on combating by means of to the top, and we want you a speedy restoration 🫶 pic.twitter.com/Sp04JdZAwa
— TennisAustralia (@TennisAustralia) November 17, 2024
“I believe Kim was very, very near getting that first match our manner, which was nice. I believed it was a very good, high quality match,” Stosur stated. “That was unlucky to be down 1-0, after which I believe it was fairly apparent from 4-0 Ajla was actually struggling.
“Yeah, it was a tricky state of affairs to then be attempting to get ourselves again into the tie when clearly you possibly can see that your No.1 participant is fairly hampered on the market. Yeah, not the best way you ever need it to go.”
The 31-year-old Tomljanovic was again because the Australian No.1 after she picked up her second WTA 125 title in Hong Kong final month however struggled after a medical timeout within the opening set in opposition to Sramkova, who had upset world No.11 Danielle Collins within the Slovaks’ upset of the US.
“Undoubtedly felt actually arduous to get again on observe after that, as a result of, you already know, having a earlier harm there, it by no means feels good to really feel one thing go unsuitable,” the world No.85 stated.
“I imply, I all the time bounce again, so I’ll, but it surely’s positively a tricky day, particularly when it virtually seems like I’d have taken this a bit simpler if it was only a common event for myself, however you don’t wish to let your teammates down.”
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World No.115 Birrell, who reached her maiden tour remaining in Osaka final month, battled for greater than two-and-a-half hours earlier than she went all the way down to former top-50 participant Hruncakova.
She conceded her opponent’s serve proved pivotal.
“I discovered it fairly robust to make any inroads into her service video games till I had a few possibilities within the second set, and within the third set, too. However, yeah, credit score to her. I believe she performed rather well, particularly on the massive factors,” Birrell stated.
“Yeah, I imply, I fought as arduous as I may. I left all the things on the market. I believe I did enhance because the match went on, however I performed in opposition to a top quality participant who simply performed higher than me on the day.”
