For the second year running, the U.S. women are through to the semifinals at the BNP Paribas World Team Cup—this time without losing a match in the group stage. After blanking Thailand in Tuesday's opening tie, Shelby Baron, Emmy Kaiser and Dana Mathewson teamed for another 3-0 win on Thursday against France to secure a first-place finish in Group C and a spot in the knockout rounds.
With the U.S. needing overall victories in its final men's, women's and junior group-stage matches—all against France—to earn semifinal berths, there were mixed fortunes for the teams on a whole by the close of play.
After the women rolled, each of the other two ties went down to the deciding doubles, where the U.S. split its results.
Shelby Baron in action against France. Photo credit: Mathilde Dusol/ITF
Casey Ratzlaff and Conner Stroud assured the American men their best-ever placing since 2011 with a 6-4, 6-4 win against Frederic Cattaneo and Gaetan Menguy, giving the U.S. a come-from-behind victory in a tie where they trailed 1-0. After Stroud was beaten in a tight three-setter to start the tie, Ratzlaff's 6-3, 6-1 singles win against Guilhem Laget sent it the distance.
The U.S. men were World Group II runners-up 11 years ago, and they're still in the hunt for a first World Team Cup title since 1997. Meanwhile, the women move on to face Japan as they look to reach the final for the first time in 19 years.
In the last match of the day, the U.S. juniors were points away from keeping their pursuit of a first World Team Cup title since 2017 alive. After splitting singles matches, Charlie Cooper and Maylee Phelps fought valiantly in the final rubber—including leveling the decisive match tiebreak at 8-8 from 8-4 down—before succumbing to defeat and finishing 1-2 in group. However, after finishing in eighth place last year without recording a victory, the Americans were not only competitive in the majority of their round-robin matches, but beat Brazil in the week's first tie.
In the quad semifinals, the U.S. fell to the Netherlands in a rematch of last year's final, 2-0. Notably in the defeat, 18-year-old Eric 'Huayi' Court was called upon to make his World Team Cup debut against world No. 2 Sam Schroder in the opening singles rubber, playing his first-ever senior match against the four-time Grand Slam champion and 2020 Tokyo doubles gold medalist.
While the men and women continue on to the semifinals, the quads and juniors will contest play-off matches this weekend to determine the final standings.
Full Results — Day 4
Men’s Group C: USA def. France, 2-1
Frederic Cattaneo (FRA) def. Conner Stroud (USA) 6-4, 4-6, 6-3
Casey Ratzlaff (USA) def. Guilhem Laget (FRA) 6-3, 6-1
Casey Ratzlaff/Conner Stroud (USA) def. Frederic Cattaneo/Gaetan Menguy (FRA) 6-4, 6-4
Women's Group C: USA def. France, 3-0
Shelby Baron (USA) def. Pauline Deroulede (FRA) 6-4, 6-2
Dana Mathewson (USA) def. Emmanuelle Morch (FRA) 6-3, 6-3
Emmy Kaiser/Dana Mathewson (USA) def. Pauline Derouled/Emmanuelle Morch (FRA) 6-4, 6-0
Juniors Group A: France def. USA, 2-1
Charlie Cooper (USA) def. Ksenia Chasteau (FRA) 6-3, 6-1
Justin Michel (FRA) def. Maylee Phelps (USA) 5-7, 7-6, 6-3
Ksenia Chasteau/Justin Michel (FRA) def. Charlie Cooper/Maylee Phelps (USA) 6-4, 5-7, [10-8]
Quad Semifinals: Netherlands def. USA, 2-0
Sam Schroder (NED) def. Eric Court (USA) 6-0, 6-0
Niels Vink (NED) def. David Wagner (USA) 6-0, 6-2
More from the 2022 BNP Paribas World Team Cup
Quads finish second in Group B, reach semifinals
Women sweep Thailand, men beat South Korea on Day 2
U.S. goes 3-0 on first day of 2022 BNP Paribas World Team Cup
Groups made and draws set in Portugal
Maylee Phelps: On the rise and ready for more
Huayi 'Eric' Court ready to learn from the best in debut
Seedings announced for 2022 BNP Paribas World Team Cup
U.S. teams named for 2022 BNP Paribas World Team Cup
The 2022 BNP Paribas World Team Cup, the wheelchair tennis counterpart to the Billie Jean King Cup and Davis Cup, will be played in Vilamoura, Portugal from May 2-8. For more information, including access to historical records and to follow the event, visit the USTA's BNP Paribas World Team Cup homepage or the 2022 ITF World Team Cup site.
All photos: Mathilde Dusol/ITF
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