Emma Navarro saves two match points in win, helping United States reach Billie Jean King Cup semifinals

The United States reached the final four of the Billie Jean King Cup in dramatic fashion, defeating Kazahstan 2-1 on Thursday in Shenzhen, China.

World No. 18 Emma Navarro got the Americans on the board with a 7-5, 2-6, 7-6 (6) victory over Yulia Putintseva. The 61st-ranked Kazakh earned two match points in the final-set tiebreaker, but couldn't close out Navarro in this marathon opener.

“Probably the most basic thing in tennis is your footwork,” said Navarro about her comeback. “Sometimes those elementary things are what get you through the tougher moments. Kind of just did that and took it from there.”

📲 Watch the match replay on the Tennis Channel app

Jessica Pegula attempted to clinch the tie for the U.S., but ran into an in-form Elena Rybakina. The world No. 10 cruised past the recent US Open semifinalist, 6-4, 6-1.

But Pegula quickly turned the tables on Rybakina in the deciding doubles, teaming with Taylor Townsend for a 6-2, 7-6 (1) triumph over the former Wimbledon champion and partner Putintseva.

📲 Watch the match replay on the Tennis Channel app

“It was a quick turnaround for Elena and I,” said Pegula. “I was happy I was able to get another chance to compete and get a win for my team. We’re really excited to be through.”

"We knew it was going to be really, really tough today," said U.S. captain Lindsay Davenport, "really proud of everyone on the team for fighting hard—for Jess for coming back from singles on such short notice, for Taylor for playing so well, and Emma did such a great job earlier. We're thrilled to get through."

📲 Watch the match replay on the Tennis Channel app

The U.S. will face either Japan or Great Britian in the semifinals, which begin Saturday at 5 p.m. local time/5 a.m. Eastern time (stream live on the Tennis Channel app). The lineups will not be finalized until an hour before the tie.

Per the USTA, “The last time the USA was in the semifinals was at the 2021 Finals event in Prague, where it lost to the eventual-champion Russian Tennis Federation. The American team's last final appearance was in 2018, also in Prague vs. the Czech Republic in the old home-and-away format.”