Hailey Baptiste photo credit: All-Pro Reels/WikimediaCommons
A steady performance from Hailey Baptiste and a resilient comeback from Bernarda Pera lifted the U.S. Billie Jean King Cup Team through to the 2025 Finals with a 2-1 victory over Slovakia to win Qualifying Group C in Bratislava on Sunday.
“Just so, so happy for this group. It wasn’t easy coming into this tie and eventually I was
left with players that really wanted to be here and really wanted to play for your country,” U.S. Captain Lindsay Davenport said referring to withdrawals by Jessica Pegula and Danielle Collins. That’s really all you can ask for as a captain. They were amazing all week and in practice.
“We had a feeling like we had the right momentum, had the right confidence. Had the right
chemistry with the ladies that were here, but to see both Hailey and Bernarda rise to the
occasion, especially Bernarda, playing a player ranked higher in this kind of environment
and how she was just able to settle down in the big moments, I was really, really proud.”
Baptiste and Pera, each making their first Billie Jean King Cup apperances, combined to go 4-0 in singles over the weekend to clinch victories over both Denmark and the host Slovakians.
After Baptiste gave the Americans a 1-0 lead in Sunday’s decisive tie, Pera rallied from 0-4 down in the second set against world No. 37 Rebecca Sramkova to clinch the Finals berth for the U.S.
“Obviously it’s a pretty big win, starting the team off strong,” Baptiste said. “Obviously it takes some
pressure off of Bernarda, so it’s going really good and hoping we can continue with the
momentum. …
“I played her earlier in the year so I was a little bit familiar with her game,
and I was just confident in myself and played my game, and obviously it worked. …
“I think that I stayed very steady. I don’t think I got broken at all, which is very important. Me and
my confidence, obviously. She was playing very well, not letting that fluster me, obviously.
She has the home crowd here and they’re loud, but I didn’t let that get in my head and I
just focused on myself and focused on my game.”
The U.S. team will join Italy, China, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Spain, Great Britain and Japan in the eight-nation FInals played September 16-21 in Shenzhen, China.
More information can be found via the Billie Jean King Cup website.