Czechs rout champions Swiss in BJK Cup finals opener

SEVILLE, Spain: The Czech Republic earned an impressive 3-0 victory over defending champions Switzerland in their Billie Jean King Cup finals opener on Tuesday.

Marie Bouzkova and Linda Noskova triumphed in singles matches to give the Czechs an unassailable lead before the doubles rubber in Group A, dubbed ´the group of death´, including record 18-time winners the United States.

Noskova defeated Celine Naef 7-6 (7/2), 4-6, 6-4 in a long battle of two 18-year-old debutants, before Bouzkova saw off the in-form Viktorija Golubic 6-4, 6-4. Then Czech doubles pairing Barbora Krejckova and Katerina Siniakova beat Golubic and Jil Teichmann 7-6 (7/3), 6-2 to cement their perfect start.

Swiss player Naef fought her way back in as Noskova nearly gave up a 4-1 lead in the first set and then crumbled under the pressure in the second to force a deciding third. However this time it was Naef who collapsed from 4-1 up, with world number 41 Noskova converting her second match point.

“I came back in the third, which is the most important one,” said an exhausted Noskova, after the two-hour, 31-minute match. The 11-time champions clinched the tie when Bouzkova saw off Golubic, stepping up at key moments -- she saved five of seven break points and converted four out of five herself. “I´m super happy to get the second point and the win for our team,” said Bouzkova.