Osaka not needed as Japan reach BJK Cup finals for first time
![article image](https://images.supersport.com/media/gq0heao3/naohibino-forehand-g1200-2024.jpg?width=1920&quality=90&format=webp)
Naomi Osaka was not required to play after teammate Nao Hibino sent Japan to their first Billie Jean King Cup finals on Saturday with an unassailable 3-0 qualifying lead over Kazakhstan.
Japan are heading to Seville! ✈️
— Billie Jean King Cup (@BJKCup) April 13, 2024
They become the second team to book their place in the #BJKCup Finals 🤩#BJKCup | @JTA_PR_Team pic.twitter.com/SC6Gpskvrv
Former world No 1 and four-time major winner Osaka was appearing at the competition for the first time since 2020 and won her opening singles game on Friday.
But she did not need to play a second time after Hibino clinched Japan's spot in November's finals with a hard-fought 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (9/7) win over world number 50 Yulia Putintseva.
Hibino fended off four straight match points for Putintseva before coming back to win the third-set tiebreaker.
It was the world number 79's second singles victory of the tie after dispatching Anna Danilina 6-1, 6-0 in under an hour on the opening day.
Osaka beat Putintseva 6-2, 7-6 (7/5) on Friday, hitting 15 aces and no double faults.
It was her first match in Japan since appearing at the Pan Pacific Open in September 2022.
Kazakhstan were without world No 4 Elena Rybakina, who lost in the final of the Miami Open last month.
The BJK Cup finals will be held in Seville.
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