TENNIS 2014 FEDCUP – On day two of this year’s finals in Prague Petra Kvitova came through a thrilling drama with Germany’s Angelique Kerber to win her second rubber of the 2014 Fed Cup by BNP Paribas Final and earn Czech Republic its third title in four years. From Prague, Simone Kemler
The world No. 4 came through a impressive battle 7:6(5) 4:6 6:4 to end any hope of a German comeback and secure her nation its eighth overall title in the midst of a frantic atmosphere in Prague’s O2-Arena – but it was a heroic effort from Kerber. She had struggled to hold both nerve and serve during the second match of Saturday, squandering the advantage of a break over Lucie Safarova in each set, but Kerber returned on Sunday determined to handle herself better under pressure.
So it proved, and though Kvitova made a comfortable start, holding to love in the opening game before bringing up three break point opportunities on Kerber’s serve, however the world No. 10 straightened her back in order to see off the early danger. Still – a couple of double faults in her first two service games were lessened in significance only by the same number by Kvitova – not to mention the Czech’s 11 unforced errors – and it was the German who struck the first blow as Kvitova flung a backhand long on Kerber’s first break point to raise that glimmer of hope Germany needed. With growing confidence, Kerber immediately brought up another break point in the seventh game with a fierce down the line winner – and promptly converted when Kvitova again went long with an on-rushing volley for 5-2. Kvitova finally made a dent on Kerber’s serve in game eight, converting her sixth break point opportunity of the match – and it was just the boost she needed. She held, broke again for 5-5, but just when the momentum, and the set, appeared all but hers, Kerber broke back.
Numerous thrilling exchanges followed as both players traded further breaks and then went toe to toe in an intense tiebreak, but in a battle of wills it was Kvitova who proved to be the stronger. After an hour and 16 minutes Kvitova finally clinched the first set, slapping an inside-out forehand winner to deafening noise inside the O2 Arena.
Kerber took time to respond to the body blow of squandering her healthy first set lead and Kvitova immediately broke twice for 3-0. With victory in sight, Kvitova tightened and Kerber recovered her composure, pulling back to 3-3 with a sweet forehand winner off her left flank before bellowing ‘come on’.
For all Kvitova’s winners – she had struck 48 in the opening two sets – her unforced error count routinely gave Kerber reason to believe that glimmer of hope. She took advantage, crucially, in the 10th game of the second set, pulling up two break point opportunities and sealing the set on the first when Kvitova skewed her 50th unforced error of the match into the tramlines.
Proceedings continued similarly in the third and last set. Kerber made it to another fast 3-0 lead, but the pressure on the player in front continued to tell and Kvitova found her way back to 4-4 before securing a crucial break in the ninth game and after two hours and 57 minutes, the Czech No. 1 delivered for her nation and secured the third FedCup win within four years. This 3:0 win for the Czech Republic secured the title and due to ITF-reguations the fourth singles-match was spared. Julia Görges and Sabine Lisicki won the dead doubles rubber, defeating Andrea Hlavackova and Lucie Hradecka in two straight sets 6:4 6:3 thus earning Germany the ‘honorary point’, so the final score of the FedCup Final 2014: Czech Republic wins 3:1.
