GLASGOW: Switzerland powered to a clean sweep against Italy as last year’s Billie Jean King Cup Finals runners-up started their campaign with a 3-0 victory in Glasgow on Wednesday.Jil Teichmann put Switzerland ahead by saving a match point in a 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 (7/5) win over Elisabetta Cocciaretto before Belinda Bencic beat Jasmine Paolini 7-5, 6-3.Bencic and Teichmann combined to see off Paolini and Martina Trevisan 7-6 (7/5), 6-1 in the doubles.Switzerland sit top of Group A as they bid to go one step further than 12 months ago when they lost the final against Russia.”I’m super happy, super relieved that I got this important point for our team. I knew coming in it would be a fight,” Teichmann said.Belgium, without Elize Mertens or Alison Van Uytvanck for the singles, lost their first Group B match 2-1 against Slovakia.Mertens arrived late to Scotland following her doubles triumph at the WTA Finals in Texas, while Van Uytvanck has played just three matches since Wimbledon.And Slovakia, bruised by their 2-1 defeat to Australia the day before, pounced on the opportunity.Viktoria Kuzmova won 6-2, 7-6 (9/7) against Ysaline Bonaventure before Anna Karolina Schmiedlova, who registered just three games against Ajla Tomljanovic on Tuesday, defeated Maryna Zanevska 5-7, 6-2, 6-3.Belgium salvaged a crucial point when Mertens combined with Kirsten Flipkens to beat Kuzmova and Tereza Mihalikova 6-0, 6-3 in the doubles.”It was our only chance to stay alive. We had to make it 2-1 after the two lost singles. We still have everything to play,” Belgium captain Johan Van Herck said.Slovakia’s hopes of progressing from Group B are over regardless of the outcome of Australia against Belgium on Thursday.Spain’s Paula Badosa defeated Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina to give her country an unassailable 2-0 lead over Kazakhstan.World number 12 Badosa won 6-2, 3-6, 6-4, leaving Anabel Medina Garrigues’ side in control of their own destiny going into their final Group C clash against hosts Great Britain on Thursday.Badosa’s impressive success came after team-mate Nuria Parrizas Diaz beat Yulia Putintseva 6-4, 2-6, 7-6 (7/5), with the win sealed on her sixth match point.Victory against Britain would send Spain through to the semifinals for the first time since 2008.