Kazakhstan through to BJK Cup finals, wins also for France and US

France also made it to the finals after getting past last year's semi-finalists Britain

PARIS (Reuters) - Playing for local fans, Kazakhstan advanced to the Billie Jean King Cup finals for the second time after defeating Poland 3-1 in their qualifier on Saturday, being joined later by the United States, which made light work of finishing off Austria.

France also made it to the finals after getting past last year's semi-finalists Britain. Italy had to fend off an incredible fightback by Slovakia to squeeze through. Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina had helped Kazakhstan build a 2-0 lead on Friday and the world number seven had no trouble dispatching Magda Linette 6-4 6-2 to give her side an unassailable 3-0 lead in Astana, the Kazakh capital.

The best-of-five qualifiers featured two singles matches on Friday and a maximum of two reverse singles plus a doubles rubber on Saturday if required. Poland, without injured world number one Iga Swiatek, finally got on the board as Weronika Falkowska and Alicja Rosolska won a doubles dead rubber.

The United States, which has won more titles than any other nation in the competition with 18, went into Saturday with a 2-0 lead after teenager Coco Gauff beat Julia Grabher 6-1 6-3 and Jessica Pegula secured a 6-0 7-5 win over Sinja Kraus.

Pegula beat Grabher 6-1 6-3 on Sunday to seal the tie. Gauff then teamed with Caty McNally to pick up the doubles point as well for a 4-0 score.

Britain lost two tight singles matches on Friday and WTA Finals champion Caroline Garcia then ended the home team's challenge by beating Harriet Dart 6-1 6-7(10) 6-1. Britain won the doubles dead rubber to finish 3-1.

After a one-sided opening set which lasted less than half an hour, Dart took encouragement from the home fans in the arena and rallied in the second set tiebreak where she saved two match points on her way to levelling the match.

But the intense second set had taken its toll on Dart, who ran out of gas in the third as world number five Garcia notched a 6-1 6-7 6-1 win. "It was a great match, a great battle," said Garcia, who spent more than three hours beating Katie Boulter on Friday.

Italy were leading 2-0 after Friday's play in Bratislava thanks to wins for Camilla Giorgi and Martina Trevisan but they changed their singles line-up on Saturday and almost slipped up.

Anna Karolina Schmiedlova kept the tie alive by beating Jasmine Paolini before Viktoria Hruncakova beat Elisabetta Cocciaretto to set up a tense doubles decider. Slovakia fell just short though as Cocciaretto and Martina Trevisan beat Hruncakova and Tereza Mihalikova 6-4 4-6 7-5.

Ukraine were 2-0 down to the Czech Republic after Friday's rubbers but Marta Kostyuk halved the deficit when she came from behind to beat former French Open champion Barbora Krejcikova 3-6 6-1 6-4 on Saturday. However, former French Open runner-up Marketa Vondrousova wrapped up the tie for the Czechs with a 6-3 6-4 win over Katarina Zavatska.

Germany booked their place in the finals by sealing a 3-1 victory over Brazil after Friday's rubbers were shared. Jule Niemeier put the Germans ahead with a 7-6(3) 3-6 6-2 defeat of Brazil's Beatriz Haddad Maia before Anna-Lena Friedsam thrashed Laura Pigossi.

Spain were never troubled by Mexico as they took a winning 3-0 lead on Saturday in Marbella, Nuria Parrizas-Diaz securing the winning point by beating Marcela Zacarias. Mexico won the doubles dead rubber.

Canada progressed with a hard-fought 3-2 victory over Belgium. The teams headed into Saturday's contest with the score tied 1-1 before Leylah Fernandez bounced back to defeat Ysaline Bonaventure 4-6 7-5 6-2 and give Canada a 2-1 lead.

But Greet Minnen beat Katherine Sebov 6-2 3-6 6-3 to push the contest into a doubles decider, where Fernandez teamed up with Gabriela Dabrowski to beat Minnen and Kirsten Flipkens 6-1 6-2 to roars of approval from the home crowd in Vancouver.

Slovenia versus Romania was locked at 2-2. A doubles decider was suspended midway through the first set due to inclement weather and organisers planned to resume the contest on Sunday.

The 12-team finals will be contested in November when Switzerland, who were exempted to the finals alongside runners-up Australia, will attempt to retain their title. The nine triumphant teams from the qualifiers go forward along with one "wildcard".

No venue has yet been announced.