Muchová and Nosková Carry Czechia to 12th Billie Jean King Cup Title
Czechia is back on top of the Billie Jean King Cup for the first time since 2018. Karolína Muchová beat Anhelina Kalinina 6-2, 6-3 before Linda Nosková held off Elina Svitolina 6-3, 7-6(5) to complete a 2-0 victory over Ukraine in Sunday's final in Shenzhen. The championship is Czechia's 12th, second only to the United States in competition history.
Muchová gave Czechia a commanding start. Kalinina had won all three of her matches earlier in the week, but the world #8 broke her twice in the first set, never faced a break point and allowed her only three points on return in the second. Muchová closed the match with a forehand winner to put Czechia one win from the title.
Svitolina gave Ukraine its best chance when she broke Nosková for a 3-1 lead in the opening set. Nosková broke straight back and won five straight games to take the set 6-3. The second set produced no break points and not a single deuce game, sending the championship to a tiebreak. Svitolina hit back-to-back aces to level it at 3-3, but Nosková reached 6-3 and three championship points. Svitolina saved two before Nosková pulled her wide and drove a forehand into the open court, then dropped onto her back as captain Barbora Strýcová and the Czech team rushed out to celebrate.
Czechia swept Great Britain, Spain and Ukraine 2-0 in Shenzhen, so doubles world #1 Kateřina Siniaková never had to play. "I'm really glad that we didn't ever have to go into doubles," Nosková said. Ukraine played without world #10 Marta Kostyuk, who was out with a right wrist injury, and still reached its first final, beating Belgium in the quarterfinals and ending two-time defending champion Italy's reign in the semifinals.
The title completed a remarkable season for Nosková. The 21-year-old beat Muchová in July's all-Czech Wimbledon final for her first Grand Slam title, then went 5-0 in Billie Jean King Cup play this year, extending her winning streak in the competition to eight matches.