Switzerland remains in the World Group of the Billie Jean King Cup. In the play-offs in Cordoba, captain Heinz Günthardt's team beat hosts Argentina 2:1 in the decisive duel.
16.11.2025, 16:45
16.11.2025, 21:51
SDA
Simona Waltert played a big part in keeping the team in the group. In the absence of Belinda Bencic, Viktorija Golubic and Jil Teichmann, the 2022 world champions, the player from Graubünden more than lived up to her role as the leader of the Swiss team with an unblemished record in the two play-off matches.
The 24-year-old, who played as a substitute in the triumph in Glasgow three years ago, won all four of her matches on the clay court in Cordoba within two days. She thus confirmed her good form, which has taken her into the top 100 of the world rankings for the first time in recent weeks.
Proved strong nerves
As on Saturday in the 2:1 victory in the first group match against Slovakia, Waltert also won her singles match against the local Argentinians and the decisive doubles match alongside Celine Naef.
After Susan Bandecchi (WTA 240) had also lost her second singles match on Sunday with 2:6, 0:6 against Julia Riera (WTA 170), Waltert, who now absolutely had to win, showed nerves of steel against Solana Sierra, who is ranked 20 positions higher.
After winning the opening set 6:3, the world number 86 made up a 1:4 deficit in the second round and did not allow herself to be rattled in the tiebreak, when she first fell behind twice with a mini-break and then missed her first two match points.
Before the play-offs in Argentina, Waltert had only played once before in the Billie Jean King Cup, in a singles match in 2024, where she lost to Poland's Iga Swiatek in two sets.
2026 chance of reaching the final tournament
Thanks to the two 2:1 victories, Switzerland finishes the group of three in first place in the play-offs and can take part in qualifying for the final tournament of the Billie Jean King Cup next April. Argentina and Slovakia, on the other hand, are relegated from the World Group.
