Japan and the U.S. clinched the final two of the eight spots in September's Billie Jean King Cup Finals with 2-1 wins over Canada and Slovakia in the final group-stages matches of the Qualifiers on Saturday.

In Group A in Tokyo, the home team found itself behind 1-0 against 2023 champions Canada as 18-year-old Victoria Mboko beat Ena Shibahara in a dramatic 6-4, 6-7(8), 7-5 opening singles match -- with Mboko needing six match points to seal the 2-hour, 45-minute win.

But after Moyuka Uchijima beat Marina Stakusic 6-3, 6-3 to level the tie, Shibahara shone in a dramatic deciding doubles alongside former longtime partner Shuko Aoyama. The Japanese pair earned a hard-fourth 6-3, 5-7, 6-2 victory over Kayla Cross and Rebecca Marino to seal a Finals berth for the second year in a row. 

"This is not the end," team captain Ai Sugiyama said. "We’re really looking forward to go to Shenzhen. It feels great. The first match wasn’t our way, the second match, Moyuka played really great, and then the doubles could go either way and we fought for every point. We got through and it was an unbelievable day.”

Meanwhile in Bratislava, the U.S. upended hosts Slovakia for the first time in three career Billie Jean King Cup matches, having lost at the Finals in 2021 and 2024. First-time players Hailey Baptiste and Bernarda Pera -- late call-ups for captain Lindsay Davenport's team just days before the Qualifiers began -- ran their record for the weekend to 4-0 by beating Renata Jamrichova and Rebecca Sramkova, both in straight sets. 

"They were amazing all week and in practice," Davenport said after the tie. "We had a feeling like we had the right momentum, had the right confidence. Had the right chemistry with the ladies that were here, but to see both Hailey and Bernarda rise to the occasion, especially Bernarda, playing a player ranked higher in this kind of environment and how she was just able to settle down in the big moments, I was really, really proud."

Baptiste was comprehensive in a 6-3, 6-4 win over 17-year-old Jamrichova, the junior World No. 1 in 2024, before Pera clinched the U.S.'s spot in Shenzhen by upsetting World No. 37 Rebecca Sramkova 7-6(2), 7-5, despite sitting at nearly 40 spots below Sramkova in the PIF WTA Rankings.

World No. 76 Pera let a 5-3, 0-30 lead slip in the first set but broke Sramkova -- who was the hero for Slovakia in its run to its first-ever Billie Jean King Cup Finals last fall -- to force a first-set tiebreak, which she dominated. The 30-year-old left-hander came from 4-0 and 5-2 down in the second set, never facing set point, to take the win.

"Oh my god, it feels amazing," Pera said post-match. "Who would have thought? On Monday I was practicing on clay getting ready to play in Rouen, and I got a call from Lindsay saying they need a player here. I was so nervous coming here, first time being on the team. I’m super happy and super excited to get the win.

"Honestly I’m so overwhelmed with the emotions. I’m so happy. I just told Lindsay this has
been one of the best weeks ever. I had so much fun with the team. The girls are amazing. I got so much support from all of them, and I’m super happy. The whole team was just amazing, and I’m so, so happy I got to experience this."

The 2025 Billie Jean King Cup Finals will be played from Sept. 16-21, and will feature hosts China, defending champions Italy, and qualified teams Great Britain, Japan, Kazakhstan, Spain, Ukraine, and the United States.