The Czech Republic was forced down to the wire on Day 1 of the 2021 Billie Jean King Cup Finals, but the home team prevailed over Germany in a late-night tie to thrill the fans at the O2 Arena in Prague.
The commanding Czechs, who have won the Billie Jean King Cup title six times in the last ten years, claimed a decisive doubles victory after midnight to win their tie 2-1 and take the lead in Group D, as the preeminent team event in women’s tennis got underway on Monday.
Under a new format, 12 national teams gathered in Prague and split into four groups of round-robin play over four days. The group winners will pair off into Friday’s semifinal ties, with the championship tie contested on Saturday.
Olympic silver medalist Marketa Vondrousova kicked off…
