Argentina lost the playoff series with Slovakia by 3 to 1 in the eliminatory of the Billie Jean King Cup played in Bratislava, which was defined today with the defeats of Nadia Podoroska and Julia Riera against local tennis players Renata Jamrichova and Viktoria Hruncakova, respectively.
The Argentine team’s hope of advancing to the 2024 Qualifiers began to fade early with the incredible defeat of Podoroska from Rosario against the 16-year-old junior Renata Jamrichova 6-1 and 6-4, and was later realized with the fall of Riera from Pergamin against Hruncakova by 3-6, 6-4 and 6-4.
The “Peque” Podoroska, born in Rosario and ranked 78th in the WTA world ranking, was surprised by Jamrichova, located in box 610 and who entered to play the series to replace the number one of the European team, Karolina Schmiedlova (71), who suffered an injury, and lost in straight sets after one hour and eight minutes, on the center court of the National Tennis Center in the Slovak capital.
That unexpected defeat put the pressure on Riera (158), 21 years old, who performed from highest to lowest to finally fall to Hruncakova (117) after exactly two hours of play.
Argentina needed one more victory from Riera, who had stood out yesterday against the number one of the European team, Schmiedlova, whom she beat 7-5 and 7-5 in a great performance, taking into account her rival’s ranking and the fast surface that favored it.
However, Riera played a set at a high level and seemed to have the match under control when he took a 6-3 lead, but little by little he faded and let his rival grow.
The Slovakian Hruncakova, 25, adjusted her forehand, began to serve very well and took control of the match to equalize it at 6-4 and then defined it with another 6-4 in the third and final set.
The defeat of the Pergaminense deprived Argentina of advancing to the World Group in which the elite women’s tennis countries compete, an instance in which it was last in 2019.
Riera’s performance was very good on the first day and not so much on the second, although without a doubt more was expected from Podoroska, who lost the two games she played, this day’s match unexpectedly, due to the youth and inexperience of her rival. who made his debut in the Billie Jean King Cup.
The first set was an exhibition by the Slovakian junior, a left-handed player ranked third in the junior world ranking who showed off her power and with shots on the lines created gaps that Podoroska could not decipher and thus the set ended with a categorical 6- 1 in just 22 minutes.
In the second set, the “Peque” began to vary the game more, she threw heavier balls and moved the Slovak to make her hit uncomfortable and lose power, thus balancing the match.
In any case, the player from Rosario wasted a 3-2 and then 4-3 lead, it was an accumulation of nerves and unforced errors, while the Slovakian reacted and with very good shots, especially drives, she went ahead again and took the lead. led the game.
The series between Argentina and Slovakia was played on a fast surface known as Green Set Cushion, which was classified by the ITF as category 2 (out of 5), with medium-low speed, which ended up favoring the European team.
Slovakia, which played in the final phase of the competition in 2021 and 2022 and currently occupies 11th place in the world team ranking, imposed its favoritism and won the series, while Argentina could not overcome the low level of Podoroska and will continue competing in the American Zone in 2024.
Source: Ambito
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