PARIS, April 16, 2023 (BSS/AFP) - Jessica Pegula sealed victory for the
United States over Austria on Saturday as the record 18-time champions
secured their place in the Billie Jean King Cup Finals.

World number three Pegula made quick work of Julia Grabher, winning 6-1, 6-3,
to give the heavily favoured Americans an unassailable 3-0 lead over Austria
in their tie in Delray Beach, Florida.

"I really wanted to clinch today," said Pegula. "It's so much more exciting
when you get to guarantee your team through."

It was a second singles victory in 24 hours for Pegula after she followed up
Coco Gauff's opening win over Grabher on Friday by defeating Sinja Kraus in
straight sets.

The Czech Republic saw off Ukraine 3-1, with Marketa Vondrousova earning the
winning point against Katarina Zavatska 6-3, 6-4, after former French Open
champion Barbora Krejcikova lost 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 to 38th-ranked Marta Kostyuk.

On Friday, 12th-ranked Krejcikova eased past Zavatska after 2019 Roland
Garros runner-up Vondrousova dispatched Kostyuk.

The matches were played in the Turkish city of Antalya because of the war in
Ukraine.

World number five Caroline Garcia sent France through with a 6-1, 6-7
(10/12), 6-1 win over Britain's Harriet Dart in Coventry.

Britain, who reached the semi-finals last year, were missing Emma Raducanu,
leaving 138th-ranked Dart as their top singles player.

On Friday, Garcia and Alize Cornet had to play almost six hours between them
to edge out Katie Boulter 6-7 (2/7), 7-6 (7/4), 7-6 (7/2) and Dart 7-6 (8/6),
7-6 (7/3) respectively.

"She (Garcia) knew the job was not done yet, yesterday evening she told me
'I'm ready to go tomorrow'," said France captain Julien Benneteau.

- Rybakina leads Kazakhstan -

Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina beat Poland's Magda Linette to wrap up
victory for Kazakhstan.

Rybakina won 6-4, 6-2 in the third rubber in Astana having also won Friday
against Weronika Falkowska when teammate Yulia Putintseva defeated Linette.

"I'm delighted that Kazakhstan will be able to fly our flag on this big stage
once again," said Rybakina after the tie against a Polish side missing
injured world number one Iga Swiatek.

Nuria Parrizas Diaz secured Spain's win over Mexico on clay in Marbella,
breezing past 196th-ranked Marcela Zacarias 6-3, 6-0.

Parrizas Diaz also won her singles match in straight sets on Friday, along
with Sara Sorribes Tormo, to ensure Spain's presence in the finals in
November at a venue to be decided.

In Stuttgart, Germany's Anna-Lena Friedsam made up for losing the hosts'
opening rubber by clinching the winning point with a 6-1, 6-0 thrashing of
Brazil's Laura Pigossi.

"It was really a golden day for me - I played unbelievably well," said
Friedsam, ranked 91.

She had lost in three sets to world number 14 Beatriz Haddad Maia on Friday
before Tatjana Maria saved a match point to haul Germany level against
Pigossi.

Jule Niemeier earlier defeated Haddad Maia 7-6 (7/3), 3-6, 6-2.

Italy got the better of Slovakia 3-2 as Martina Trevisan and Elisabetta
Cocciaretto beat Viktoria Hruncakova and Tereza Mihalikova 6-4, 4-6, 7-5 in
the deciding doubles.

Slovakia rallied from a 2-0 deficit in the tie with singles wins on Saturday
for Anna Karolina Schmiedlova and Hruncakova but could not complete the
turnaround despite leading 5-3 in the final set of the doubles.

Bad weather interrupted Slovenia's comeback bid against Romania with the
teams level at 3-3 in the first set of the decisive doubles rubber.

Slovenia trailed 2-0 at home in Koper after Friday's action but fought back
as Tamara Zidansek and Kaja Juvan both won their matches.

Defending champions Switzerland and 2022 runners-up Australia received
automatic qualification to the November 7-12 finals, which will feature four
groups of three.