Belgian ladies stun Romania

Despite missing their star player Simona Halep, hosts Romania started as the big favourites on the hard court in Bucharest. But Kirsten Flipkens first beat Monica Niculescu 6-3, 6-4 and Yanina Wickmayer downed Sorana Cristea 7-6, 5-7, 7-5 to hand Belgium a 2-0 lead on the opening day.

This meant that Belgium just needed one more victory to seal the win. Youngster Elise Mertens played Irina-Camelia Begu in Sunday's first match and stunned her opponent who is ranked some 50 places higher than the Belgian at number 29. Mertens lost the first set 3-6 but came back to win the next two 7-5, 7-5 to seal the win. "I played an incredible match", the rising star beamed.

Belgium now has the chance to make a promotion to World Group I with the world's best countries, in a play-off match at the end of April, possibly against the Netherlands. The last two games in Bucharest were cancelled.