Tennis: France is maintained in Billie Jean King Cup at expense of Netherlands

Caroline Garcia’s victory, Saturday, against the Dutch Lesley Kerkhove allows the Bleues to stay in the elite of the international team competition.

Le Monde with AFP

Caroline Garcia did not drag the work to finish: two sets (6-2, 6-3) and 1 hour and 22 minutes of play to overcome the Dutch Lesley Kerkhove. The victory of the Lyonnaise, this Saturday, November 12 in Portel, in Pas-de-Calais, allows France to win the Billie Jean King Cup maintenance dam, international tennis team competition, against the Netherlands (3-0).

The world number 4 has made its power speak to get rid of the Dutch number 1, which only points to 207 e rank of the WTA ranking but opposed great resistance to it. She improved the successes obtained on Friday by Alizé Cornet and Diane Parry to allow the Bleues to keep their place in the world elite.

“On the one hand, it was a little difficult [to continue], but, on the other, it was simpler, because I had joined my friends from the French team and I wanted Help them by bringing a point. It was a new challenge, you had to be present from the first point for this last match of the season in front of the French public, “said the interested party, spared on Friday, a few days after her Coronal at the Masters, tournament bringing together the eight best players of the season.

“Energy, I did not need to look for it far away with all the positive emotions that I had at the Masters. I just wanted to join the French team, to recover. ‘Was too happy to be able to play today, I wanted to do well to help the team. “

” It’s a relief “

Caroline Garcia delivered a solid match: eighteen winning blows, nine aices, and four station wagon saved on the four conceded. But she also lacked efficiency, only converting three of her twelve break balls. Above all, she totaled 33 direct faults, allowing her opponent to stay in the game.

Even if the Dutchman hung on, she ended up laying down her arms after 1 hour and 22 minutes of play in the face of the superiority of the French, who recorded her 19 e success in Twenty-six meetings in the competition.

“It is a satisfaction to stay in the world group, it was the goal, it is a relief too. I am happy to have won this meeting and in the manner, that all the girls aligned in Simple responded, “said Captain des Bleues, Julien Benneteau. And the latter added: “We must have great ambitions for this French team, because we have very good players.”

Maintained in the world group, the Habs will try in April 2023 to win their ticket for the final phase of the Billie Jean King Cup, which they won for the last time in 2019 in Australia. They will know their opponent on Sunday for the first round, scheduled for next spring.

/Media reports.