Alison Riske rewarded in marathon tiebreak at BJK Cup

Alison Riske came out on top of the second-longest tiebreak in Billie Jean King Cup history on Friday, edging Dayana Yastremska 7-6 (18/16), 7-5 as the United States took a 2-0 lead on Ukraine. Riske needed eight set points in the tiebreaker while Yastremska battled back from 5-1 down and had four set points herself before the American pulled off the epic decider in the opening rubber of the tie in Asheville, North Carolina. "It was so bizarre and amazing at the same time," said Riske. Yastremska added: "I was laughing inside and, same time, I wanted to cry. I didn't know when it's going to finish. It was so unpredictable both ways." It was already an emotional week in Asheville, where the US team did all they could to make the Ukrainians -- worried about family and friends at home amid the ongoing Russian invasion -- feel welcome.

"It's like living in two different realities," Ukraine captain Olga Savchuk said on Thursday of trying to focus on tennis while the brutal fighting 5,000 miles away in Europe remained in the forefront of their minds. With Ukraine fans, flags and colors prominent in the stands, Riske was pushed all the way by Yastremska, a three-time WTA winner once ranked as high a 21st in the world but now at 93rd. But American Jessica Pegula sped past 22-year-old Katarina Zavatska 6-2, 6-1 in just 64 minutes as the United States moved close to a place in the finals. Seven qualifiers are being played on Friday and Saturday. The winners will join Switzerland, Australia, Belgium and Slovakia in the finals later this year. Defending champions Russia as well as Belarus have been expelled from the competition due to the invasion of Ukraine.

Iga Swiatek marked her first match as world number one with an 18th