Colombia eyeing first women's World Team Cup medal
The second day of women’s round-robin group ties at the 2022 BNP Paribas World Team Cup saw the four top seeds start their bids for the title alongside the conclusion of the two ties between Great Britain and South Africa and Germany and Switzerland, which were unfinished due to the rain that curtailed the end of the second day of play.
In seven previous appearances in the World Group of the ITF’s flagship wheelchair tennis team event, Colombia has never started with a top four seeding, but that changes this year with Angelica Bernal and Zuleiny Rodriguez Trujillo both inside the world’s top 25 to make Colombia third seeds.
What is more, the only two nations seeded above Colombia are Netherlands and Japan, the two teams with the world’s top two tanked player and two teams that have contested six World Team Cup finals in the last 20 years.
Such is the make of the women’s teams below Netherlands and Japan, the quest for a medal is open, with Brazil bidding to upset Colombia in their decisive Group D contest and France and USA going head-to-head for a semi-final spot in Group C.
Should there be any major upset in Netherlands' final Group A tie against Great Britain or Japan's final Group B tie against Germany, then there is a completely different complexion on things.
There were few surprises for the top two seeds as Netherlands and Japan earned comfortable wins over South Africa and Switzerland, who both started a busy second day of cometition needing to complete their opening ties held over from Tuesday, with little success for either team.
South Africa lost out to Great Britain after a fascinating doubles rubber that Brits Cornelia Oosthuizen and Abbie Breakwell won 75 75, while Switzerland lost out 3-0 to Germany.
Men’s semi-final line-ups to be confirmed
With two of the three round-robin ties played in each of the four men’s round-robin groups, the fourth day of play in Vilamoura will see the semi-final line-ups completed, with top seeds Japan and last year’s finalists Netherlands and Spain currently in pole position to advance from Group A, Group B and Group D.
The anticipated match-up between world No.2 Shingo Kunieda and world No.3 Gustavo Fernandez failed to happen on Wedneday, Fernandez sitting out of Argentina’s tie against Japan, who duly went on to claim a 3-0 win courtesy of Tokito Oda and Kunieda.
With France and USA’s meeting in their women’s round-robin group looking likely to be a fascinating prospect, the same two nations go head-to-head in men’s Group C, which sits finely poised after Korea Republic’s win over fourth seeds France on the opening day of play. However, USA currently sit unbeaten at the top of Group C after defeating Korea Republic 6-4 4-6 (10-6) after a match tie-break on the second day of competition.