Slovakia beats Australia to reach semifinals of Billie Jean King Cup Finals

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Slovakia beats Australia to reach semifinals of Billie Jean King Cup Finals

2024-11-17 22:24 Last Updated At：22:30

MALAGA, Spain (AP) — Slovakia followed up its win over the United States with a 2-0 victory over Australia to reach the semifinals of the Billie Jean King Cup finals on Sunday.

Rebecca Sramkova cruised to a 6-1, 6-2 win over Ajla Tomljanovic to clinch Slovakia the victory after Viktoria Hruncakova rallied to defeat Kimberly Birrell 7-5, 6-7 (4), 6-3 for her sixth straight BJK Cup win counting singles and doubles.

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Slovakia's Viktoria Hruncakova returns the ball to Australia's Kimberly Birrell during the Billie Jean King Cup Finals, at the Martin Carpena Sports Hall, in Malaga, southern Spain, on Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Australia's Kimberly Birrell reacts during the match against Slovakia's Viktoria Hruncakova in the Billie Jean King Cup Finals, at the Martin Carpena Sports Hall, in Malaga, southern Spain, on Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Australia's Kimberly Birrell returns the ball to Slovakia's Viktoria Hruncakova during the Billie Jean King Cup Finals, at the Martin Carpena Sports Hall, in Malaga, southern Spain, on Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Slovakia's Viktoria Hruncakova serves to Australia's Kimberly Birrell during the Billie Jean King Cup Finals, at the Martin Carpena Sports Hall, in Malaga, southern Spain, on Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Slovakia's Viktoria Hruncakova returns the ball to Australia's Kimberly Birrell during the Billie Jean King Cup Finals, at the Martin Carpena Sports Hall, in Malaga, southern Spain, on Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

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Slovakia's Viktoria Hruncakova returns the ball to Australia's Kimberly Birrell during the Billie Jean King Cup Finals, at the Martin Carpena Sports Hall, in Malaga, southern Spain, on Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Australia's Kimberly Birrell reacts during the match against Slovakia's Viktoria Hruncakova in the Billie Jean King Cup Finals, at the Martin Carpena Sports Hall, in Malaga, southern Spain, on Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Australia's Kimberly Birrell returns the ball to Slovakia's Viktoria Hruncakova during the Billie Jean King Cup Finals, at the Martin Carpena Sports Hall, in Malaga, southern Spain, on Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Slovakia's Viktoria Hruncakova serves to Australia's Kimberly Birrell during the Billie Jean King Cup Finals, at the Martin Carpena Sports Hall, in Malaga, southern Spain, on Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Slovakia's Viktoria Hruncakova returns the ball to Australia's Kimberly Birrell during the Billie Jean King Cup Finals, at the Martin Carpena Sports Hall, in Malaga, southern Spain, on Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Slovakia had beaten the U.S. — the competition's most successful nation — in the first round of the finals in Malaga.

Iga Swiatek's Poland, seeking its first title, will face Italy in the semifinals.

Last year, the Italians were runner-up to defending champion Canada, which faces Great Britain in the other quarterfinal on Sunday.

AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis

Tropical Storm Sara nears landfall in Belize after drenching Honduras

2024-11-17 22:21 Last Updated At：22:30

BELMOPAN, Belize (AP) — Tropical Storm Sara on Sunday neared landfall in Belize, where forecasters expect heavy rain to cause life-threatening flash flooding and mudslides.

The storm’s center was expected to make landfall in Belize in the late morning or around midday, according to the Miami-based National Hurricane Center. This comes after Sara drenched the northern coast of Honduras, where it stalled since Friday, swelling rivers and trapping some people at home.

The Hurricane Center’s tropical storm warning as of Sunday included Honduras’ Bay Islands as well as the country’s northern coast from Punta Castilla to its border with Guatemala; the Caribbean coast of Guatemala; Belize’s coast and northward into the coast of Mexico’s state of Quintana Roo, from Chetumal to Puerto Costa Maya.

The storm could drop up to 10 inches (25 cm) of rain across the area, with localized totals reaching 15 inches (38 cm), through early next week. The conditions “will result in areas of flash flooding, perhaps significant, along with the potential of mudslides,” according to the Hurricane Center.

“A storm surge could raise water levels by as much as 1 to 3 feet above ground level near and to the north of where the center of Sara crosses the coast of Belize,” the center said Sunday. “Near the coast, the surge will be accompanied by large and destructive waves.”

Slovakia beats Australia to reach semifinals of Billie Jean King Cup Finals

News

Slovakia beats Australia to reach semifinals of Billie Jean King Cup Finals

Slovakia's Viktoria Hruncakova returns the ball to Australia's Kimberly Birrell during the Billie Jean King Cup Finals, at the Martin Carpena Sports Hall, in Malaga, southern Spain, on Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Australia's Kimberly Birrell reacts during the match against Slovakia's Viktoria Hruncakova in the Billie Jean King Cup Finals, at the Martin Carpena Sports Hall, in Malaga, southern Spain, on Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Australia's Kimberly Birrell returns the ball to Slovakia's Viktoria Hruncakova during the Billie Jean King Cup Finals, at the Martin Carpena Sports Hall, in Malaga, southern Spain, on Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Australia's Kimberly Birrell returns the ball to Slovakia's Viktoria Hruncakova during the Billie Jean King Cup Finals, at the Martin Carpena Sports Hall, in Malaga, southern Spain, on Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Slovakia's Viktoria Hruncakova serves to Australia's Kimberly Birrell during the Billie Jean King Cup Finals, at the Martin Carpena Sports Hall, in Malaga, southern Spain, on Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Slovakia's Viktoria Hruncakova returns the ball to Australia's Kimberly Birrell during the Billie Jean King Cup Finals, at the Martin Carpena Sports Hall, in Malaga, southern Spain, on Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Slovakia's Viktoria Hruncakova returns the ball to Australia's Kimberly Birrell during the Billie Jean King Cup Finals, at the Martin Carpena Sports Hall, in Malaga, southern Spain, on Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Slovakia's Viktoria Hruncakova returns the ball to Australia's Kimberly Birrell during the Billie Jean King Cup Finals, at the Martin Carpena Sports Hall, in Malaga, southern Spain, on Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Slovakia's Viktoria Hruncakova returns the ball to Australia's Kimberly Birrell during the Billie Jean King Cup Finals, at the Martin Carpena Sports Hall, in Malaga, southern Spain, on Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Australia's Kimberly Birrell reacts during the match against Slovakia's Viktoria Hruncakova in the Billie Jean King Cup Finals, at the Martin Carpena Sports Hall, in Malaga, southern Spain, on Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Australia's Kimberly Birrell returns the ball to Slovakia's Viktoria Hruncakova during the Billie Jean King Cup Finals, at the Martin Carpena Sports Hall, in Malaga, southern Spain, on Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Australia's Kimberly Birrell returns the ball to Slovakia's Viktoria Hruncakova during the Billie Jean King Cup Finals, at the Martin Carpena Sports Hall, in Malaga, southern Spain, on Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Slovakia's Viktoria Hruncakova serves to Australia's Kimberly Birrell during the Billie Jean King Cup Finals, at the Martin Carpena Sports Hall, in Malaga, southern Spain, on Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Slovakia's Viktoria Hruncakova returns the ball to Australia's Kimberly Birrell during the Billie Jean King Cup Finals, at the Martin Carpena Sports Hall, in Malaga, southern Spain, on Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Slovakia's Viktoria Hruncakova returns the ball to Australia's Kimberly Birrell during the Billie Jean King Cup Finals, at the Martin Carpena Sports Hall, in Malaga, southern Spain, on Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Slovakia's Viktoria Hruncakova returns the ball to Australia's Kimberly Birrell during the Billie Jean King Cup Finals, at the Martin Carpena Sports Hall, in Malaga, southern Spain, on Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

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