MALAGA, Spain — Japan achieved a significant milestone by reaching the quarterfinals of the Billie Jean King Cup Finals for the first time since 2013 after overcoming Romania with a 2-1 victory on Thursday.

Japan’s advancement was secured when the doubles team of Eri Hozumi and Shuko Aoyama triumphed over the Romanian duo of Monica Niculescu and Elena Ruse, clinching the final match with scores of 6-1, 7-5.

The Romanian team initially took the lead when Ana Bogdan defeated Nao Hibino in the first singles match, winning 6-2, 6-4. However, Ena Shibahara managed to even the score for Japan with her win against Jaqueline Cristian, finishing the match 6-4, 7-6 (2).

Next, Japan will compete against Italy in the quarterfinals. Meanwhile, the United States was set to face Slovakia later on Thursday for a chance to join the final eight.

The initial match between Japan and Romania was delayed by two hours due to a severe weather warning affecting the Malaga area, which was in effect until earlier that day. This weather alert also resulted in the postponement of the opening match between Spain and Poland, which has been rescheduled from Wednesday to Friday. Germany will also be in action against Britain on that day.

The Billie Jean King Cup Finals are occurring roughly two weeks after an intense storm that resulted in flash floods in the Valencia region, east of Malaga, leading to the tragic loss of over 200 lives.

In response to the devastation, the International Tennis Federation announced a donation to the Spanish Red Cross aimed at bolstering relief efforts in the affected area. Additionally, Spanish player Paula Badosa expressed her support by pledging to donate half of her prize money to aid the victims.

Both the Billie Jean King Cup Finals and the Davis Cup Finals are currently being held in the southern Spanish city, with the men’s competition set to commence next week at the Palacio de Deportes.

This marks a historic occasion as it is the first time the women’s team tournament has taken place alongside the Davis Cup at the same venue with overlapping schedules. Furthermore, for the second consecutive year, the event will offer equal prize money compared to the men’s competition.