Australia returns to Pat Rafter Arena on Saturday to take on Colombia, seeking a second-place finish at the Billie Jean King Cup Qualifiers.
Brisbane, QLD, Australia, 11 April 2025 | Matt Trollope
Australia aims to end its Billie Jean King Qualifiers campaign on a winning note when they host Colombia at Pat Rafter Arena on Saturday.
Australia fell 2-1 in its first tie on Thursday to Kazakhstan, who subsequently beat Colombia 3-0 on Friday to top the group.
Kazakhstan’s reward is qualification for the eight-nation Finals in Shenzhen in September, while Australia and Colombia will contest the Play-offs in November.
Yet their clash on Saturday has ramifications for what unfolds in the Play-offs; the winner receives extra nations ranking points which will impact the seeding order of nations in November.
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OFFICIAL PROGRAM: Billie Jean King Cup Qualifiers (AUS-COL-KAZ)
Australia will enter the tie as favourites over the Colombians, who were overwhelmed in the singles rubbers by Kazakhstan on Friday.
Yulia Putintseva trounced teenage debutant Valentina Mediorreal Arias 6-0 6-1 before Elena Rybakina ensured an unassailable 2-0 lead with her 6-1 6-2 win over Yuliana Lizarazo.
“Kazakhstan is a very strong team, but I’m very proud of the girls, of Colombian team,” said captain Alejandro Gonzalez.
“I mean, to go there against Putintseva, Rybakina… and the girls trying to just go for it, try to do their best. And that’s what it counts to me.
“We say head up, for us, and tomorrow we have another tie. Again, Australia, another opportunity to do it better than today.”
Australia is similar to Colombia in blooding an 18-year-old debutant for this Qualifiers competition.
Maya Joint played Putintseva on Thursday in the opening singles rubber of the event, before Kim Birrell pushed Rybakina to the limit, holding a set point before falling 6-3 7-6(4).
MORE: Debutant Joint receives team jacket from Aussie legend Bowrey
But unlike Colombia, who have no players ranked inside the WTA singles top 600, Australia has three on the team inside the WTA top 100, plus a world-class doubles combination in Ellen Perez and Storm Hunter, both former top-10 doubles players.
Hunter and Perez won the doubles rubber against Kazakhstan to narrow the final score to 1-2 – something captain Sam Stosur believes could prove invaluable in the long run.
“These two [Hunter and Perez] went out there full well knowing that this could still mean something depending on obviously the result tomorrow,” Stosur said on Thursday evening.
“They went out there and played with the same intensity that it would have been regardless of what the prior results were. Every match counts, you go out there and represent your country and you want to do the best you can every single time.
“We’ll probably have a bit of an eye on the [Colombia v Kazakhstan] match and how it’s going and try and scout out the Colombians a little bit and be as prepared as what we can be for Saturday.”
Australia takes on Kazakhstan from 12pm at Pat Rafter Arena on Thursday 10 April. Watch the action on 9Gem and 9Now and follow along on Tennis Australia’s social media channels.
