Shaking No131 pulls off stunning Billie Jean King Cup upset Aussies win

November 3, 2021 â€" 9.18am

Storm Sanders has stunned Belgium’s world No.18 Elise Mertens to secure a win for Australia in their opening Billie Jean King Cup tie.

The 2019 runners-up, in group B, were playing without world No.1 Ash Barty, who has ended her season early to recuperate and focus on the Australian summer. They were also without Ajla Tomljanovic, the world No.43 who was a last-minute withdrawal due to non-COVID-related illness.

Storm Sanders celebrates her upset win of Elise Mertens.Credit:AP

After Daria Gavrilova’s three-set win over Greet Minnen, the 131st-ranked Sanders came from a set down on debut to stun Mertens 3-6, 7-6 (5), 6-0. Sanders converted her second match point with the last of her 35 winners.

“That was a most incredible feeling, I’m still shaking,” Sanders said.

She told tennis.com.au the win felt “absolutely amazing”.

“I knew it was a tough ask coming out and playing Mertens, but I’ve played her before and definitely felt like I knew her game.

Mertens reacts after losing a point.Credit:AP

“We had a good game plan, which I went out and executed. To have the team on the sidelines was an awesome feeling and even though I lost the first set, I still felt like I was in control and doing all the right things. It’s incredible to get the win.”

Sanders stormed through the final set 6-0 to clinch the win.

“I don’t think I’ve ever played a set that well in my life,” she said. “I don’t think I made many unforced errors and was definitely hitting the ball well. I was just enjoying it and having fun out there.”

Belgium did get one win to close out the tie, in the doubles. Mertens, the world’s top-ranked doubles player, and Minnen teamed up to win 6-2, 6-4 against Sanders and Ellen Perez. Australia won the tie 2-1.

Australia next play Belarus on Thursday. Belgium beat Belarus 2-1 on Monday.

Meanwhile, Russia brought Canada to earth by winning their Billie Jean King Cup tie 3-0.

Canada’s confidence was boosted the day before when they upset defending champion France, but Russia with all of their players in the top 50 were too strong.

Daria Kasatkina eased past Carol Zhao in straight sets, and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova clinched the win overcoming Rebecca Marino 6-4, 4-6, 6-2.

“In the second set, the chances [to win] were 50-50 and I’m just happy with the third set,” Pavlyuchenkova said.

Russia’s dominance was completed in the doubles where Veronika Kudermetova and Liudmila Samsonova defeated Gabriela Dabrowski and Marino 6-3, 6-1.

Russia complete group A against France on Wednesday.

The 12 teams in the finals are divided into four groups of three teams. Only the group winners advance to the semi-finals on Friday.

Share this post