BILLIE JEAN KING CUP: JAPAN VS GREAT BRITAIN

September 18, 2025

Ena Shibahara

Team Japan

Quarter-Final Press Conference

S. KARTAL/E. Shibahara

6-3, 7-6

Team Great Britain - 1

Team Japan - 0

THE MODERATOR: Thank you, Ena. Hard luck today. Can you talk a little bit about the match from your perspective.

ENA SHIBAHARA: Yeah, definitely a tough one for me. I think Sonay started off great. She has a bit of a trickier play style, very heavy with her shots. Took me a little bit to get used to. Yeah, it was just kind of hard to find momentum. I feel like in the second set I kind of found my game again. We were pretty much even. In the tiebreaker, got a little bit unlucky. Yeah, it's just kind of how it goes sometimes (smiling).

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. You said you started finding your rhythm in the second set. That was clear to see. What do you think was the difference? Felt like small margins at the end. Anything in particular you can pinpoint?

ENA SHIBAHARA: You mean, like how did I adjust?

Q. How did you adjust and what was the difference in not being able to pull it over the line?

ENA SHIBAHARA: Yeah, I feel like I just really focused on finding my timing. I think in the beginning I was trying to play a bit too aggressive and I was having too many errors.

I think, yeah, in the end maybe I was being a little bit too ambitious. I just didn't have good enough footing to do what I wanted to do. Had some errors, again.

Yeah, I think personally I just want to play that match over again (smiling).

Q. You mentioned the weight of shot she's got. She's a really great defensive player. It's tricky when you're coming up against somebody that keeps getting the ball back. You feel like you've got to take more risks, I guess?

ENA SHIBAHARA: Yeah, definitely she's very quick. I was really trying to find my way up to the net. Also I had to pick the right moments because she also has some good passing shots. If I didn't hit the good enough ball, then she has me.

Yeah, she made it tough, for sure.