(Reuters) -Elina Svitolina sent Ukraine into the semi-finals of the Billie Jean King Cup for the first time as she battled back to beat Spain’s Paula Badosa 5-7 6-2 7-5 in Shenzhen on Wednesday.
Marta Kostyuk had put Ukraine ahead in the quarter-final tie against the five-times champions by beating Jessica Bouzas Maneiro 7-6(3) 6-2 in the opening singles.
Badosa looked on course to drag Spain back into contention as she took a tight first set but 31-year-old Svitolina seized control to win the second.
Svitolina was racing towards victory at 4-1 in the decider but Badosa launched a spirited fightback with some heavy hitting as the rallies grew more intense.
Badosa even had a break point to lead 6-5 but could not convert it and Svitolina then used all her experience to clinch the match on the Spaniard’s serve in the next game.
Ukraine will face reigning champions Italy in the semi-finals on Friday after they beat China 2-0 on Tuesday.
(Reporting by Martyn Herman in London; Editing by Ken Ferris)
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