Danielle Collins hopes to lead the USA to their record-extending 19th Billie Jean King Cup win in Malaga, Spain.

MALAGA, Spain (AP) — Japan reached the quarterfinals of the Billie Jean King Cup Finals for the first time since 2013 after rallying to defeat Romania 2-1 on Thursday. Japan advanced when Eri Hozumi and Shuko Aoyama defeated Monica Niculescu and Elena Ruse 6-1, 7-5 in the deciding doubles match.

Ashlyn Krueger and Taylor Townsend saved six match points but ultimately lost the decisive doubles match as the United States was defeated 6-3, 3-6, 10-8 by Slovakia and was eliminated 2-1 in the first round of the Billie Jean King Cup Finals early Friday.

The Billie Jean King Cup Finals will begin in Malaga this week in a closer partnership with the Davis Cup and with some added attention given to the victims of the deadly floods that recently devastated eastern Spain.

Japan and Slovakia produced stunning comebacks to beat Romania and the United States 2-1, respectively, and reach the quarter-finals of the Billie Jean King Cup on Thursday. Viktoria Hruncakova and Tereza Mihalikova had to dig deep to beat Ashlyn Krueger and Taylor Townsend 6-3 3-6 10-8 in the match tie-break of a thrilling doubles that went into the early hours of Friday.

Slovakia reach the last eight of the Billie Jean King Cup Finals with a 2-1 victory over 18-time champions the United States.

Ashlyn Krueger and Taylor Townsend saved six match points but ultimately lost the decisive doubles match and the United States was defeated 6-3, 3-6, 10-8 by Slovakia and was eliminated in the first round of the Billie Jean King Cup Finals.

Shuko Aoyama and Eri Hozumi took Japan into the Billie Jean King Cup quarter-finals for the first time since 2013 on Thursday with a stunning comeback win over Romania. Aoyama and Hozumi defeated Elena-Gabriela Ruse and Monica Niculescu 6-1,