The Prague Post - Holders Italy and Ukraine make strong starts in BJK Cup as USA trail

Ukraine were also 2-0 up against hosts Poland with world number seven Elina Svitolina and 27th-ranked Marta Kostyuk winning their singles rubbers in the southern city of Gliwice.

But the United States, record 18-times winners and last year's runners-up, were trailing Belgium 2-0 in Ostend and need to win all three matches on Saturday to advance.

Eighth-ranked Paolini overcame early nerves after dropping serve before dispatching world number 133 Himeno Sakatsume 6-3, 6-1 on clay at Velletri, south of Rome.

World number 42 Cocciaretto saw off Japan's 84th-ranked Moyuka Uchijima 7-5, 6-2.

"I was a little bit tense and nervous," said Paolini.

"But I managed to stay there. I got better every point and, in the end, I am happy with my first win of the season on clay – it is never easy.

“Hopefully, tomorrow will be a short day for us, but we just don’t know."

Italy are just one point away from qualifying for September's eight-team final in China with doubles and reverse singles, if required, on Saturday.

But the United States have all to play for in Belgium with McCartney Kessler retiring in the third set of her marathon clash with Elise Mertens who won 7-6 (7/3), 2-6, 3-3.

Kessler had beaten Mertens in their previous two meetings but converted just six of her 16 break points in the tie which lasted 2hr 44min before retiring with a back problem.

Earlier 94th-ranked Hanne Vandewinkel got Belgium off to the mark past 16th-ranked Iva Jovic 7-6 (7/3), 6-3.

In Astana, Bianca Andreescu pulled 2023 champions Canada level 1-1 with Kazakhstan.

Yulia Putintseva had eased past newcomer Kayla Cross 6-3, 7-5.

But former US Open champion Andreescu then beat teenager Sonja Zhiyenbayeva 6-4, 7-6 (7/4).

Andreescu compared the match played against a partisan home crowd to her 2019 US Open success over Serena Williams.

"That final helped me in this moment today because it is obviously not easy playing against a crowd," said Andreescu.

"But in a way that makes me try even harder so I can quieten the crowd."

- 'Weirdest experience' -

Ukraine are also on the brink of the finals.

World No. 27 Kostyuk defeated Magda Linette 6-4, 6-0 and Svitolina dispatched Katarzyna Kawa 6-2, 6-1.

Amid the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, Kostyuk had appeared in a video training in Kyiv during the week with loud air raid sirens blaring.

“This was the first time that I was properly playing tennis in Ukraine since full-scale war began,” said the 23-year-old.

“It was the weirdest experience of my life to be practicing when the air raid alarms went off.

“We kept playing because we just had to finish the practice, but we heard explosions in the distance. Because I am not familiar with this, I was trying to look up at all the people around to see how they were handling it.

“Even children were like, ‘drones and missiles are coming, it’s nothing’.

“However, everyone around me seemed calm, so I thought I should stay calm.

"It was a very weird experience and not something I would recommend or want to experience again, but it is a part of life for millions of people.”

In Melbourne, a depleted Britain seized control against Australia with 17-year-old Mika Stojsavljevic stunning in-form Talia Gibson for the best win of her career.

Stojsavljevic was in the zone on the hardcourts at Melbourne's John Cain Arena, banging down 12 aces to win 7-6 (7/4), 7-5.

Her teammate Harriet Dart then battled past Kimberly Birrell 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 to give last year's semi-finalists Britain a 2-0 lead.

None of Britain's top four made the long trip with Emma Raducanu, Katie Boulter and Fran Jones opting to focus on the European clay-court season and Sonay Kartal hurt.

Belinda Bencic's Switzerland are level 1-1 at home against the Czech Republic on hardcourt in Biel with Slovenia and Spain also tied 1-1 on clay in Portoroz.

R.Rous--TPP