Netherlands beat Japan to regain World Team Cup women's title
Netherlands avenged their 2022 defeat by Japan to claim a 33rd BNP Paribas World Team Cup women’s title on Saturday at Vilamoura Tennis and Padel Academy after beating the defending champions 2-1 at the end of a memorable final.
The highly anticipated clash between the top two seeds lived up to all expectations throughout both singles matches, the opening contest providing a roller coaster ride for teammates and fans watching on site in Vilamoura as well as those tuning in on live streams and TV screens throughout the world.
However, with Momoko Ohtani having beaten Jiske Griffioen in straight sets in the first singles match of the 2022 final, early signs were that Griffioen was in no mood to allow a repeat result against a player with whom she has forged a successful doubles partnership on the UNIQLO Wheelchair Tennis Tour.
Although the opening game lasted over five minutes and Ohtani had seven break point opportunities, Griffioen eventually converted her first game point for an early advantage and the world No. 3 soon gathered momentum against a faltering Ohtani.
It took just 29 minutes to wrap up the set 6-0, but as one-sided as the first set might have been, the second proved to be equally so as Ohtani found her range against a suddenly subdued Griffioen, the Japanese No. 2 winning all the important points for a 5-0 lead.
Ohtani took nine out of 10 games to lead 3-0 in the final set and eventually wrapped up a remarkable 0-6 6-1 6-3 victory.
With Japan leading 1-0, the final was then treated to the contest between the world’s top two players that it was denied in 2022, when world No. 1 Diede de Groot had to sit out the title decider and world No. 2 Yui Kamiji beat Aniek van Koot to secure Japan a historic win.
However, De Groot was not prepared to allow a repeat and despite losing early breaks that she had established in both the first and second sets against Kamiji she closed out a high quality contest 7-5 6-3 on the second of two match points after an hour and 27 minutes.
While De Groot had to sit out the 2022 final on medical grounds, Kamiji was forced to sit out what had promised to be a riveting deciding doubles match this year.
In Kamiji’s absence Japanese No. 3 Manami Tanaka came in to partner Ohtani, but the duo ultimately found winners hard to come by against De Groot and Griffioen.
Both Dutchwomen have a collection of major doubles titles partnering Van Koot, but had only paired up with each other five times previously, all in World Team Cup competition. Nevertheless, they were unbeaten before facing Ohtani and Tanaka and remained so in fine style, earning a 6-0 6-1 victory to ensure that Netherlands regained a trophy that has only left Dutch possession four times since 1986.
Despite her difficult opening singles contest, Griffioen was delighted with the latest World Team Cup title for Netherlands.
"I'm very happy," she said. "After losing it last year in the final, it’s great to get the chance to win the deciding doubles this time. I'm proud of the team!"
France completed the women's podium at the 2023 BNP Paribas World Team Cup, beating Great Britain 2-0 to repeat the result of their Pool C round-robin contest earlier in the week.