SEAT Luxembourg Billie Jean King Cup team;
Credit: FLT
The SEAT Luxembourg Billie Jean King Cup team concluded their campaign in Europe Group III with a 2-1 loss to Ireland on Saturday 21 June 2025 in Chisinau, Moldova, securing fifth place overall.
The final day of placement matches for fourth place started with the opening singles match, Laura Palumbo against Sinead Lohan. Despite a solid serving performance with a 69.7% first serve rate and one ace, Palumbo struggled to convert opportunities, managing just one break point and winning 57 points in total compared to Lohan’s 71. The Irish player, who served two aces and won 87.5% of her second serve points, proved more efficient in key moments, converting three of seven break points. Palumbo lost the match in straight sets 6-7, 2-6, after one hour and 34 minutes of play.
Eleonora Molinaro levelled the tie for Luxembourg with a dominant 6-1, 6-2 win over Celine Simunyu, securing the victory in just 65 minutes. Molinaro delivered a clinical performance, serving three aces, winning 77.3% of her first serve points and converting four of five break point opportunities. She also won all of her second serve points and recorded a total of 58 points, compared to Simunyu’s 32.
The battle for fourth place was decided in the doubles match, where Luxembourg’s Lucie Rabiot and Eleonora Molinaro faced the Irish pair Anna Bowtell and Breda Brennan. Despite a closely contested encounter, the Luxembourg duo lost 6-7, 4-6. Both sides delivered strong performances: Luxembourg served four aces to Ireland’s five, won 34 points on their first serve and nine on their second. The Irish pair proved more consistent on second serve, winning eleven of twelve points. They also converted three of eight break points, compared to two of three for Luxembourg, and edged the overall points tally 65 to 64.
According to FLT, the SEAT Luxembourg Billie Jean King Cup team, which includes both experienced players and young talents, can look ahead with optimism and aim for a top-three finish in the same group next year.
