Poland, Switzerland win European Qualification

The Polish men’s and Swiss women booked their places at the BNP Paribas World Team Cup in May. 29 Mar 2017
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Man in wheelchair reaches to try and hit a tennis ball with his racquet

Poland's Tadeusz Kruszelnicki during the 2003 Australian Open at Melbourne

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By International Tennis Federation

Poland and Switzerland will play in the men and women’s World Groups in Sardinia, Italy, in May after winning their respective events at the 2017 BNP Paribas World Team Cup European Qualification in Vilamoura, Portugal.

The competition concluded on 25 March. Poland gained a comfortable 2-0 victory over Greece in the men’s semifinals as Tadeusz Kruszelnicki and Kamil Fabisiak earned straight sets wins over Giorgos Lazaridis and Stefanos Diamantis, respectively, to end Greece’s hopes of a repeat win in the European Qualification.

Polish coach Rafal Helbik said: “We were used to entering directly into the World Team Cup finals but this year they changed the organisation of the World Group and we had to come to play this European Qualification. It was not easy at all and we were even experiencing some problems a few weeks before the tournament started, but it was very important for our players to have been able to play in the Vilamoura Open Futures the previous week to this qualifier.”

Switzerland completes women’s victory over Sweden

Switzerland and Sweden were level at 1-1 after the singles rubbers in their round-robin tie. But former world No. 6 Karin Suter, who previously led Switzerland to the women’s World Group final at the International Tennis Federations’ (ITF) flagship team event, delivered.

Suter comfortably won her opening singles rubber, while main rival Rebecka Bellander of Sweden replied with a 6-3, 6-3 victory over world Swiss No. 1 junior Nalani Buob.

The deciding doubles match saw youth and experience combined to give Buob and former Paralympic doubles bronze medallist Suter a 6-1, 6-0 victory over Bellander and Sanna Klindt.

After securing the overall victory 2-1, Switzerland will now contest the women’s World Group for the 20th time in Sardinia in May.

A complete review of the European Qualification can be found on the ITF’s website.