Australia exits Billie Jean King Cup despite 2-1 win over Kazakhstan

Australia has been knocked out of the Billie Jean King Cup and will say farewell to captain Alicia Molik, despite a stirring rescue operation launched by the indefatigable Storm Hunter. 

Molik's final act after a distinguished decade of leadership was to learn the 2-1 victory over Kazakhstan in Seville on Thursday (local time) — courtesy of two more Hunter wins — was mathematically not enough to keep Australia's hopes alive.

She was still not sure, an hour after the victory, whether her team was out or could still sneak through to the semifinals by winning their three-team group.

It was later confirmed Australia — which reached the final in 2022 — would exit the teams tournament.

This was despite Hunter's heroics that saw her post three wins after making the transatlantic dash from Mexico as the newly minted world number one doubles player.

Prior to the confirmation Australia was out of the tournament, Hunter told the post-tie media conference: "It's just been a pleasure playing under Mol [Molik] if this is her last tie. I'm going to get emotional now."

Molik, by her side, comforted Hunter, saying: "You don't need to, Stormy, champion. It's been amazing."

Hunter produced a remarkable performance by first beating Kazakhstan's Anna Danilina 7-6 (7/2), 6-4 in the singles.

She then teamed up with Ellen Perez to deliver the crucial 6-1, 4-6 [10/5] win over Danilina and Yulia Putintseva in the decisive doubles rubber.

Molik had overhauled her singles line-up to promote world number 155 Hunter and top-ranked Australian Kim Birrell after veteran campaigners Daria Saville and Ajla Tomljanović recorded straight-set defeats in the opening-day 2-1 loss to Slovenia.

Yet the move proved only partially successful when Birrell could not overcome a nervous first set, in which she served five double faults, before losing to battle-hardened Putintseva 6-0, 7-5.

Despite only landing in Seville after an 18-hour trip from Cancun 90 minutes before Australia's opening tie against Slovenia, a jet-lagged Hunter had teamed up with Birrell on Tuesday to secure a precious point with a super-tiebreak doubles win.

AAP