Fed Cup

Fed Cup Day 2 Match Report: Slovak Republic 2-3 Australia, Sam Stosur wins 3 ties to pull Australia through to the WG Play-Offs

Published

8 years ago

07/02/2016

Samantha Stosur won both her singles matches and teamed up with Casey Dellacqua to win the doubles and the tie. Australia now advances to World Group Play-Offs, where they will face one of Romania, Germany, Italy or Russia.

Play in Bratislava was started by the match of Anna Karolina Schmiedlova against Samantha Stosur, the World No. 29 against No. 27. Most would assume that this would be a close match but with Stosur’s play style, the H2H being 2-0 for the Aussie and Schmiedlova not playing too well yesterday, Stosur was the clear favorite. I am sure that Australia was quite glad when seeing the draw, as Stosur’s head-to-head against the Top 5 Slovak players was 18-2 before the tie, and Slovakia has always had trouble putting together a good doubles team, while Australia has Casey Dellacqua, the World No. 3 and Stosur who used Samatha+Stosur+WTA+Dubai+Duty+Free+Tennis+3e2bcVvED4Wl to be No. 1 in doubles. Schmiedlova was playing much longer rallies with Stosur, and despite her yesterday’s 3 hour drama, she came out and played amazing, broke Stosur first time at 2-1, continued to outplay Stosur and most importantly, not making any mistakes. Although she did start getting nervous a bit when serving out the set, wasted two set points and lost the game. This turned out to be a major mistake as Stosur came back, held easily twice, broke Schmiedlova and suddenly we’re back at 5-5. At 5-5, 40-15 Schmiedlova had an ugly fall through her left ankle, but she did succeed to serve out the game. Stosur served out a ‘clean’ game and won the first 3 points in the tiebreaker. Schmiedlova didn’t give up got back to 3-3, held step with Stosur until 5-5, when there was a close call on the baseline during the rally, Schmiedlova didn’t want to stop and challenge and lost the point, giving Stosur a set point which she gladly took. So Stosur rallied down from 1-5, 15-40 to take the set 7-6(5), which is the closest set these two have played against each other so far. Despite Schmiedlova playing only 5 unforced errors, she still lost the set. One of the things that was noticeably different in her game in the beginning of the set and in the end, was that her shots were shorter and she was standing further behind the baseline.

Schmiedlova managed to keep playing her game, broke Stosur in the first game and successfully held her serve. After the first game Schmiedlova called the trainer to examine her ankle, but in the end she didn’t receive any treatment during that changeover. However she got her right ankle massaged and taped during the following changeover at 2-1. It was obvious that Stosur was playing on a lower level than against Cepelova, she seemed less concentrated and Schmiedlova took advantage of that when she took a clean break off of Stosur, but then the Aussie once again came back and took the break back. After that Stosur showed a great service game, covering the whole court with her forehand and forcing Schmiedlova to serve to stay in the match at 4-5. With Stosur coming out attacking from each shot and misfiring badly, Schmiedlova was up 40-0, but again there were complication and it had to go to deuce before getting to 5-5. Stosur once again had an easy service game and made Schmiedlova serve to stay in the match for the second time. She started off the worst way possible; with a double fault, Stosur kept pushing Schmiedlova and at 15-40 she missed a forehand on her first match point but she didn’t make the same mistake on the second. Stosur put Australia in the lead and gave the the first ‘match point’ of the tie.

Samantha Stosur (AUS) – Anna Karolina Schmiedlova 7-6(5) 7-5

In the second match we saw a change from both captains, so instead of the projected Cepelova – Rodionova match, we Dominika+Cibulkova+2016+Hobart+International+sbLKAr6Wjb5l saw a match between the Slovak No. 2 Dominika Cibulkova and Kimberly Birrell. These two players met earlier this year in Hobart, where Cibulkova won 6-1 6-0. This was Birrell’s Fed Cup debut match. Birrell got off to a good start, keeping level with Cibulkova and winning more games in the first 4 games than she did in their previous match. Birrell did a good job of pushing Cibulkova back, not giving her free points. Even when in the 6th game she offered Cibulkova break point, Birrell ended the point quickly, not taking any chances. Birrell played a high risk-high reward game, getting really lucky with some of the shots she made on the 3 break points she saved in the 6th game at 2-3. Birrell was, not unlike Rodionova, playing really amazing tennis, well above her ranking range. It must be said that Birrell and Rodionova or style-wise two completely different player. Cibulkova was a little weak on the movement, but still played way better than Schmiedlova did against Rodionova. At 3-4, Birrell was 0-40 down, facing three break points but successfully made all of them disappear. It was the 4th breakpoint in the game, 7th overall, that finally broke Birrell’s serve and gave Cibulkova the chance to serve for the set at 5-3. Cibulkova ended the set with a clean game, winning the first set 6-3. Cibulkova started the second set well, getting an early break in the first game, when Birrell double faulted on break point. Cibulkova kept serving well, not giving Birrell a single break point. Birrell started to make more unforced errors and Cibulkova started to step up her returning game. Cibulkova was dismantling Birrell until 5-0, when Birrell’s shots started going in again and successfully broke Cibulkova’s serve, only to have the Slovak No. 2 end the match a game later on Birrell’s serve. I have to say that the first set and the last two games were on a really high level from both players. Cibulkova got the second point for Slovakia, and as expected the match will conclude in the fifth rubber- doubles

Dominika Cibulkova (SVK) – Kimberly Birrell (AUS) 6-3 6-1

Doubles were the decider of this tie. Australia’s team was the clear favorite with the World No. 3 in doubles Casey Dellacqua and Samantha Stosur, who won both of her singles matches. Slovakia fielded the veteran Daniela Hantuchova and young hard hitter Jana Cepelova. The Australian team got off to a good start, getting a break to 3-0 but got broken again at 4-2. They got to 4-5 through a couple of difficult games, but from 4-5 until the end of the set, Slovaks won 3 games with losing only one point. However, they weren’t able to transform their form into the other two sets, winning only 3 more games in the match.

Casey Dellacqua/Samantha Stosur (AUS) – Jana Cepelova/Daniela Hantuchova (SVK) 5:7 6:1 6:2

Fed Cup

Injury Heartbreak Motivates Australia In Billie Jean King Cup Tie With Mexico

Published

1 week ago

12/04/2024

Adam Addicott

SEVILLE, SPAIN - NOVEMBER 09: Storm Hunter of Team Australia reacts during the Billie Jean King Cup Finals group stage match between Australia and Kazakhstan at Estadio de La Cartuja on November 09, 2023 in Seville, Spain. (Photo by Fran Santiago/Getty Images for ITF)

The captain of the Australian Billie Jean King Cup team says they are supporting one of their top players after she suffered a serious injury on the eve of their latest tie.

Storm Hunter, who is currently ranked No.3 in the world for doubles, has suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon whilst training at a practice session on Thursday with her teammates. The severity of the injury means she will almost certainly be forced to pull out of this summer’s Olympic Games where she would have been a medal contender, as well as both the French Open and Wimbledon. Hunter has already won a WTA 1000 title this season in Dubai and was also runner-up in Indian Wells. In both of those tournaments, she was partnering Kateřina Siniaková.

“Unfortunately yesterday in our last practice before the tie, I went down and scans last night confirmed that I have ruptured my Achilles tendon,” said Hunter.
“I am devastated and heartbroken, but incredibly grateful to be around the team and I know I have a great group of people around me that will help me get back on the court as soon as possible.
“Thank you everyone so much everyone for your messages of support and love. I’m excited to stay for the tie and support our Aussie girls.”

According to the Australian press, team captain Sam Stosur said Hunter’s teammates are ‘rallying behind‘ her and “wishing her the very, very best and the quickest recovery possible.”

As a result of the injury, Daria Saville was brought in to play in her country’s singles match on the opening day of their tie against Mexico on Friday. The world No.94 was in top form as she charged to a comprehensive 6-1, 6-0, win over Marcela Zacarias in less than an hour.

“Yesterday was a pretty tough day for all of us, pretty emotional,” said Saville who has undergone surgery on her Achilles in the past.
“It’s so nice to have Stormy here supporting us. Not long ago that kind of happened to me … so we’re giving Stormy a lot of love.
“I felt like I was pretty determined and clearly that showed.”

Despite the blow, Australia is on the verge of beating Mexico. In the other singles match on the opening day, Arina Rodionova came back from a set down to beat Giuliana Olmos 3-6, 6-3, 6-1. With a 2-0 lead, they only need one more win to clinch the tie.

Fed Cup

Italian Captain Tathiana Garbin Reveals Rare Tumor Diagnoses After Team’s Loss At BJK Finals

Published

5 months ago

13/11/2023

Adam Addicott

Former top 30 player and captain of the Italian Billie Jean King Cup team Tathiana Garbin has publically announced that she is battling a serious health issue.

Just hours after her team lost to Canada in the Billie Jean King Cup final in Seville on Sunday, the 46-year-old issued a statement confirming that she is undergoing treatment for a rare tumor that has been found in her stomach. Garbin had her first surgery in October but will have to undergo further procedures in the coming weeks.

“I really wish to thank my Federation, which has constantly supported me with extraordinary solidarity and sensitivity,” Gabin said in a statement sent to the news agency Agenzia Nazionale Stampa Associata (ANSA).
“Seville was a very important event for me, and I absolutely didn’t want to miss it despite being very close to my operation: the Federation has shown they placed full trust in me. There is nothing that makes me prouder than representing the colors of Italy. “

Gabin says she hopes to raise awareness of medical research and prevention by going public about her condition, as well as hoping to inspire others with her story. She is being treated by Professor Di Candio and Professor Morelli at the Cisanello Hospital in Pisa.

“I thank my BJ King Cup girls, who have shown me incredible love and support. Their presence and support have been a beacon of positivity in these difficult days,” she said in tribute to her team.
“However, I would like to inform you that I will have to undergo a second surgery, required by the treatment planned by the doctors. Thanks to the rapid recovery I have experienced, I am optimistic about being back on court.”

As a player, Garbin peaked at a ranking high of No.22 in singles and No.25 in doubles. Her sole singles title on the WTA Tour occurred in 2000 when she won the Budapest Open in Hungary. Seven years after that, she reached the fourth round of the French Open in what was her best-ever run at a major event.

Garbin has served as Italy’s Billie Jean King Cup captain since 2016.

Fed Cup

Doubles Delight: Great Britain Ousts France 2-1 In Davis Cup Classic

Published

7 months ago

17/09/2023

Adam Addicott

Image via https://twitter.com/the_LTA/

Great Britain has won the last spot in the Davis Cup finals by prevailing in a highly dramatic clash against France in front of a record crowd in Manchester.

With the must-win showdown level at 1-1, the tie was decided by a rollercoaster doubles match with Dan Evans and Neil Skupski battling their way past Nicolas Mahut and Édouard Roger-Vasselin 1-6, 7-6(4), 7-6(6). In what was one of the most tense matches ever involving the British team, four match points were saved by the hosts. Evans fended off three whilst serving 4-5 down in the decider before Skupski saved one when he was serving two games later. To add to the drama, in the decisive tiebreaker Britain lost a mini-break advantage twice before prevailing on their second match point.

“I don’t know how we’ve won that fight, sheer fight. Incredible effort from Dan to come out and win this match with me,” said Skupski.
“The first set wasn’t too good. We regrouped, took a toilet [break] and fought as hard as we could. Dan saving three points in the third set. The rest is history and we’re off to Malaga.”

The triumph caps off what has been a marathon day at The AO Arena with all three matches going the full distance. A total of more than 13,000 seats was sold for the tie which is a record for a single day of Davis Cup action in the UK.

Earlier in the day, Evans got Britain off to a perfect start by fighting back from a set and a break down to beat Arthur Fils 3-6, 6-3, 6-4, in what was a close fight. At the end of the encounter, there was a tense exchange between the two which continued during the doubles match with Evans seen making gestures towards the Frenchman who was watching from the stands.

France’s sole victor was Ugo Humbert who beat former Wimbledon semi-finalist Cameron Norrie 7-6(5),3-6, 7-5. A new confidence blow to the British No.1 who has only won back-to-back matches in one out of his past five tournaments.

“The team is amazing. We get on very well. Everyone’s played a part. It’s all those guys and girls standing there (in the stands) who are amazing.” Captain Leon Smith commented.

Britain joins Australia in qualifying from Group B to November’s finals which will be held in Malaga. The team has won all three of their ties played in Manchester with their previous wins being over Australia and Switzerland earlier in the week.

In total, eight teams have secured their place in the finals. Group stages have also been held in Spain, Croatia and Italy with the top two nations from each of those events progressing.

Britain is seeking to win the Davis Cup title for only the second time in the Open Era after 2015.