Osaka not needed as Japan reach BJK Cup finals for first time / Photo: © AFP
RYCEF
0.4000
The China Mail - Osaka not needed as Japan reach BJK Cup finals for first time
USD
-
AED 3.672504
AFN 65.000368
ALL 81.431326
AMD 361.239406
ANG 1.789785
AOA 918.000367
ARS 1544.046724
AUD 1.452222
AWG 1.8
AZN 1.70397
BAM 1.754002
BBD 2.018116
BDT 124.801578
BGN 1.747831
BHD 0.378548
BIF 2997.982153
BMD 1
BND 1.283978
BOB 12.019192
BRL 5.504904
BSD 1.002018
BTN 94.051388
BWP 13.802968
BYN 3.000673
BYR 19600
BZD 2.015246
CAD 1.41125
CDF 2320.000362
CHF 0.819824
CLF 0.024951
CLP 981.982871
CNY 6.676504
CNH 6.670804
COP 3236.357114
CRC 454.419084
CUC 1
CUP 24.048249
CVE 98.887942
CZK 21.83445
DJF 178.43146
DKK 6.708504
DOP 60.885162
DZD 136.261154
EGP 53.769786
ERN 15
ETB 164.454778
EUR 0.896804
FJD 2.265604
FKP 0.748808
GBP 0.748083
GEL 2.59504
GGP 0.748808
GHS 11.707995
GIP 0.748808
GMD 74.503851
GNF 8874.938344
GTQ 7.657056
GYD 210.062329
HKD 7.84204
HNL 26.930631
HRK 6.76901
HTG 131.321465
HUF 326.000354
IDR 18108.5
ILS 3.18593
IMP 0.748808
INR 93.910504
IQD 1519.035021
IRR 1891353.000352
ISK 122.790386
JEP 0.748808
JMD 159.024259
JOD 0.70904
JPY 158.47504
KES 130.209408
KGS 87.447804
KHR 4082.328147
KMF 442.00035
KPW 899.999961
KRW 1363.803789
KWD 0.31098
KYD 0.83512
KZT 449.127842
LAK 22542.486884
LBP 89728.711717
LKR 333.213757
LRD 170.342137
LSL 16.570826
LTL 2.95274
LVL 0.60489
LYD 6.412269
MAD 9.794718
MDL 17.910408
MGA 4553.159051
MKD 55.203803
MMK 2099.945107
MNT 3601.130253
MOP 8.088606
MRU 40.453791
MUR 47.030378
MVR 15.403739
MWK 1737.500561
MXN 18.62354
MYR 4.061504
MZN 63.903729
NAD 16.570826
NGN 1347.210377
NIO 36.87727
NOK 9.459904
NPR 150.482041
NZD 1.807175
OMR 0.384144
PAB 1.002108
PEN 3.451773
PGK 4.566611
PHP 63.108038
PKR 277.126855
PLN 3.94555
PYG 6263.39626
QAR 3.662795
RON 4.792204
RSD 105.484059
RUB 81.925564
RWF 1478.947132
SAR 3.756342
SBD 8.048583
SCR 13.773553
SDG 601.503676
SEK 9.894504
SGD 1.282704
SHP 0.748923
SLE 22.950371
SLL 20969.504398
SOS 572.620062
SRD 37.583504
STD 20697.981008
STN 21.972109
SVC 8.76732
SYP 13001.999685
SZL 16.565176
THB 33.550369
TJS 9.243442
TMT 3.5
TND 2.998341
TOP 2.40776
TRY 50.141304
TTD 6.795211
TWD 32.775304
TZS 2647.773642
UAH 45.39348
UGX 4098.470921
UYU 40.312094
UZS 11956.414511
VES 896.316404
VND 25582.5
VUV 118.73125
WST 2.787825
XAF 588.264929
XAG 0.019249
XAU 0.00024594347
XCD 2.70255
XCG 1.805838
XDR 0.707052
XOF 588.264929
XPF 106.954845
YER 236.625037
ZAR 16.51943
ZMK 9001.203584
ZMW 20.360522
ZWL 321.999592
SSP 5745.232324
MXV 2.095222
- Rene Eyre Revisits Autobiographical Performance 'Say A Little Prayer' in London
- London Museum Granted 24/7 License Ahead of November Opening
- UAE's HCT Holds Record Graduation and Announces Major Training Expansion
- Dana White Confirms Flight to Washington for Trump Meeting on Press Secretary Role
- NASA Awards $10B Lunar Contract Framework to SpaceX, Blue Origin
- Dengue Fever Expands Into High Himalayas as Climate Change Warms Nepal
- Katy Perry Tells Fans Ex-Husband Russell Brand 'Should Be in Jail' During UK Concert
- IoT Refrigerator Hacks Disrupt Blood Labs and Supermarkets Across Europe and US
- South African election results renew debate over identity-based voting
- Post-election pressures complicate US and Israeli decisions on Iran
Osaka not needed as Japan reach BJK Cup finals for first time
Naomi Osaka was not required to play after team-mate Nao Hibino sent Japan to their first Billie Jean King Cup finals Saturday with an unassailable 3-0 qualifying lead over Kazakhstan.
Former world number one and four-time Grand Slam winner Osaka was appearing at the competition for the first time since 2020 and won her opening singles game on Friday.
But she did not need to play a second time after Hibino clinched Japan's spot in November's finals with a hard-fought 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (9/7) win over world number 50 Yulia Putintseva.
"I started wondering if it was OK for me to win my match -- there were a lot of fans looking forward to watching Osaka," laughed world number 79 Hibino.
"It was mixed emotions but I really wanted to clinch the win."
Osaka was appearing in Japan for the first time since playing at the Pan Pacific Open in September 2022.
She beat Putintseva 6-2, 7-6 (7/5) on Friday, hitting 15 aces and no double faults to stake Japan to a 2-0 lead.
Hibino said Osaka had brought presents for her Japan teammates and had been an important presence in the dressing room.
But it was Hibino who took centre stage on the second day, fending off four straight match points for Putintseva before coming back to win the third-set tiebreaker.
"I was playing against someone who I have struggled against so I wasn't sure if I could win," said Hibino.
"But the crowd really raised the voltage towards the end of the final set and I wanted to experience what it would be like to win in that atmosphere."
It was Hibino's second singles victory of the tie after dispatching Anna Danilina 6-1, 6-0 in under an hour on the opening day.
Kazakhstan were without world number four Elena Rybakina, who lost in the final of the Miami Open last month.
The BJK Cup finals will be held in Seville.
O.Yip--ThChM
