SHENZHEN, China (AP) — Jessica Pegula and Taylor Townsend sent the United States into the Billie Jean King Cup semifinals for the first time since 2021 after beating Kazakhstan 2-1 on Thursday.

Pegula and Townsend topped Yulia Putintseva and Elena Rybakina 6-2, 7-6 (1) in the deciding doubles.

In singles, Emma Navarro stunned Putintseva 7-5, 2-6, 7-6 (6) after saving two match points. Putintseva led 6-4 in the tiebreak but Navarro took the last four points after 2 1/2 hours.

Former Wimbledon champion Rybakina evened the quarterfinal by dispatching Pegula 6-4, 6-1 in a top-10 clash.

Pegula brushed off her first loss to Rybakina in 2 1/2 years by pairing with Townsend, the world doubles No. 1 and two-time major doubles champion, who created some controversy this week in comments about

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