Kaja Juvan and Tamara Zidansek had flawless campaigns within the Billie Jean King Cup Group ‘G’ play-offs on the S.M. Krishna Tennis Stadium right here.
The duo dominated proceedings with two victories every, guiding Slovenia to the highest of the group, and to the Qualifiers spherical in consequence. Slovenia’s opening tie, in opposition to the Netherlands, was pivotal in shaping the ultimate end result. The winner of this match-up between the 2 greatest groups can be ideally positioned to seal a berth within the subsequent spherical.
On paper, it was the Netherlands which was fancied. The Dutch had the highest-ranked participant of the group in Suzan Lamens (World No. 87), and an skilled second singles combatant in Arantxa Rus (139).
However Juvan (98) and Zidansek (162) flipped the script in grand vogue. Zidansek gave her facet the best begin, adjusting to bouncy courts in nice model to dismantle Rus 6-1, 7-6(6). Juvan displayed tireless vitality to wear down Lamens in an in depth encounter which went the gap.
Excessive on confidence after slaying the favorite, Slovenia made brief work of host India the next day. Zidansek briefly dipped however discovered her rhythm to get previous Shrivalli Bhamidipaty 6-3, 4-6, 6-1 earlier than Juvan cruised previous Sahaja Yamalapalli 6-4, 6-2.
Zidansek’s current success is available in a part in her profession when she simply needs to get pleasure from taking part in tennis, with out worrying in regards to the outcomes and rankings. Zidansek, 27, doesn’t need to be arduous on herself any extra. “You’re anticipated to be at your greatest every single day, and chase factors and go up the rankings and win each match. However that’s not actuality. It’s robust to be at your greatest on a regular basis, bodily and mentally. On the opposite facet, regular life occurs. You undergo experiences and so they make you stronger, and also you acquire a distinct view,” Zidansek defined.
Tamara Zidansek of Slovenia in motion in opposition to the Netherlands.
| Photograph Credit score:
Okay. MURALI KUMAR
Zidansek’s spotlight got here on the 2021 French Open, the place she reached the semifinal. This made her the primary Slovenian feminine participant to achieve a Grand Slam last-four.
She began 2022 nicely, reaching a career-high rating of twenty-two. A COVID-19 bout, nevertheless, took a toll on her well being. “I performed my greatest tennis at first of 2022. I used to be feeling actually good on clay and arduous courts. However then COVID occurred. I had a very unhealthy post-COVID restoration which took six to eight months. I couldn’t recuperate bodily, and I couldn’t compete at my greatest. When you’re not at 100%, you begin to lose, and it hurts your confidence. From then on, it was only a spiral,” Zidansek mentioned.
Zidansek is now again to full health, and can also be pursuing off-the-court passions. She has taken up a bachelors course in psychology — a wholesome strategy to spend her free time. “Doing the bachelor’s diploma — generally it’s nice as a result of it occupies you when you might have quite a lot of free time. However generally it’s just a little bit an excessive amount of. General, I’m actually completely happy that I’m doing this. Hopefully someday I get to do a Masters as nicely,” Zidansek mentioned.
Tough part
For Juvan, that is an period of rebuilding and therapeutic. Juvan misplaced her father, Robert, to most cancers a few years in the past. This was understandably an enormous blow for Juvan, who was very near her father.
“Folks all the time have a look at tennis gamers as robots just a little bit, however this isn’t the case. I used to be very, very shut with my dad. He’s the one which I bought my competitiveness from,” Juvan mentioned. “My world fell aside for just a little bit. It is rather regular to take a while to grieve. I bought to say goodbye to him, to be with him within the hospital. Each time I take into consideration him, I take into consideration his combating spirit, how robust he was for me, my brother,” Juvan mentioned.
The 24-year-old took a break from the tour after her father’s demise. “It was fairly arduous for me to grieve and compete on the identical time. Tennis was all the time so enjoyable for me, so when the enjoyable is misplaced, it’s fairly arduous for me to compete. After I had a while off, I remembered why I really like tennis. I had a while to consider my dad just a little bit extra. It’s arduous to come back again to the tour once more, however I feel I’m slowly discovering the rhythm, being extra constant,” Juvan mentioned.
Kaja Juvan poses for the followers after successful the match in opposition to Sahaja Yamalapalli
| Photograph Credit score:
Okay. MURALI KUMAR
A tall, highly effective, supremely match athlete, Juvan has all of the attributes to go up the rankings. “It’s nice that I’m within the prime 100, however I feel that my objectives are even increased,” Juvan mentioned. Juvan, by the way, is an in depth buddy of World No. 2 and six-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek. Juvan and Swiatek used to coach collectively after they have been younger, and teamed as much as win the women’ doubles gold on the 2018 Summer season Youth Olympics.
Juvan acknowledged that Swiatek, regardless of all her success, has stayed grounded. “After we have been juniors, we have been — till one level — taking part in the identical tournaments and transferring in the identical circles. Iga didn’t change her character when she grew to become a prime participant. She’s not making an attempt to please everybody. For me, Iga was all the time a buddy first. I by no means actually checked out her as a famous person,” Juvan mentioned.
On the 2023 US Open, the buddies confronted different on courtroom in a 3rd spherical outing. Swiatek, then the world’s top-ranked participant, whipped Juvan 6-0, 6-1.
After the match, Swiatek checked in to see if Juvan’s emotions have been damage. “Iga got here to me and requested me, ‘Are we nonetheless pals?’. I mentioned, ‘In fact we’re pals. What are you speaking about? It’s only one match.’ When I’m on the courtroom, I’m compete arduous. And once we end, it’s completed,” Juvan mentioned.
Juvan loved her time in Bengaluru, and is hopeful that internet hosting that Billie Jean Cup playoffs will elevate the profile of girls’s tennis in India.
“That is such an enormous occasion for India. It’s my second time right here, and it’s very good. The extra those who come to the stadium, the higher it’s for our sport. I’m completely happy that the Indian ladies are getting the popularity they deserve,” Juvan mentioned.
Printed – November 18, 2025 11:49 pm IST
