New Zealanders fighing hard to stay in Billie Jean King Cup Group I

Photo from left to right: Aishi Das, Brayden Visser (Physio), Matt Hair (Captain), Monique Barry, Clint Packer (Coach) 

New Zealand has a lot to play for in its three remaining matches of the Billie Jean King Cup Group I (Asia/Oceania) competition in New Delhi, India.

In spite of losing its first two matches against Indonesia (1-2) and India (0-3), the young New Zealand team will be looking for its first win today against unbeaten Korea Republic, followed by Thailand, which has one win, tomorrow and then the winless Mongolia on the event's final day.

New Zealand is one of six teams contesting Group I (Asia/Oceania). It is without its top singles player Lulu Sun, but Erin Routliffe, currently ranked 11 in the world in doubles, is in the team.

The two top teams in the Group get promoted to play a qualifying round later in the year while the two bottom teams are relegated. Last year New Zealand, topped the group to progress to qualifying where they lost to a very strong Polish team.

In the first match yesterday against Indonesia, Monique Barry faced the top-ranked player at the tournament Janice Tjen, currently ranked 41 in the world. Barry with a ranking of 786, put up a good fight in her 3-6 1-6 loss.

Top junior Aishi Das, with a WTA ranking of 1151, also had a tough ask against a player ranked 732 places higher than her, losing 4-6 1-6. The good news for the kiwis came in the doubles when Barry combined with Valentina Ivanov to win a rain-delayed rubber 4-6 6-0 10-6. 

In the second match against India, Das again showed a lot of maturity in her match against a player ranked 760 places higher before losing 2-6 4-6. Ivanov played the second singles losing 1-6 3-6. Routliffe and Barry played the doubles, against a combination ranked 200 places higher losing 4-6 2-6.

The kiwis are now focused on picking up valuable points in the remaining three matches.