Lindsay Davenport’s Team USA squad, which didn’t bring any of its three Top-10 players (Coco Gauff, Jessica Pegula, Emma Navarro) started emphatically, getting Taylor Townsend’s first ever BJK Cup singles victory, 7-5, 6-4 over youngster Renata Jamrichova, but Rebecca Sramkova topped Danielle Collins 6-2, 7-5 to force deciding doubles.
Viktoria Hruncakova and Tereza Mihalikova then topped Townsend and Ashlyn Krueger 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 to send Slovakia through.
“We wanted to win so much, we gave everything,” Hruncakova said. “I have no words.”
“The ranking is not important, but the heart and the team [is],” said Mihalikova. “We beat the favorites and we’re very happy.”
Earlier on Thursday Japan defeated Romania 2-1, as Shuko Aoyama and Eri Hozumi won the deciding doubles point 6-1, 7-5 over Elena Gabriela Ruse and Monica Niculescu.
Japan will face Italy in the quarterfinals.
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