TENNIS – Andrea Petkovic and Angelique Kerber helped Germany recover from 0-2 down to draw level to 2-2 against Russia in Sochi thanks to their wins in their reverse rubber singles matches. Diego Sampaolo
Petkovic , who replaced Sabine Lisicki, eased past Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-2 6-1 thanks to 20 winners in 1 hours and 21 minutes despite tiredness.
“I don’t what would have happened if it would have gone three sets. it was very difficult, and even though it was a short match, I didn’t feel great during the match physically”, said Petkovic
Angelique Kerber, who replaced Julia Georges for the second singles reverse rubber, took just 52 minutes to sweep aside Anastasya Pavlyuchenkova 6-1 6-0 thanks to a perfect match in which she hit 21 winners.
Russia secured their decisive 3-2 point by winning the decisive doubles match. Elena Vesnina and Anastasya Pavlyuchenkova beat Andrea Petkovic and Sabine Lisicki in straight sets
“It was an unbelievable victory and we are so excited and I am so proud of my team. The whole team worked so hard and I just want to thank my captain as she was amazing and helped us so much”, said doubles specialist Vesnina, who is ranked seventh in the WTA doubles ranking.
Vesnina and Pavlyuchenkova got a break in the fifth game en route to winning the first set with 6-2. Lisicki dropped her serve in the second set. The Russian team sealed the win with another break in the ninth game
Russia will take on Czech Republic in the final which will be played on Czech soil. The Czech team will be bidding to win their four Fed Cup Trophy in five years. Moscow hosted the previous final between these two countries in 2011 when Czech Republic triumphed. Russia will play in their 8th final in the last 15 years.The Russian team are bidding to win their first Fed Cup title since 2008
Petra Kvitova won the first Sunday’s reverse rubber securing Czech Republic the decisive point for 3-0 against France in Ostrava. Kvitova beat Caroline Garcia 6-4 6-4 in one hour and 32 minutes.
Kvitova broke serve in the third game of the opening game after Garcia hit her backhand into the net. Garcia broke back to draw level to 3-3 after a long game. Kvitova got another break with a backhand pass before serving out for the set.
Kvitova got a double break topull away to 4-1. Kvitova failed to serve out for the match at 5-2 in the second set when she hit her forehand wide allowing Garcia to recover one of the two breaks. Kvitova converted on her first match point in her next service game with her passing forehand winner to the delight of the crowd in CEZ Arena in Ostrava.
Fed Cup Play-Offs:Williams fights back from a set down to edge Errani:
Serena Williams came back from a set down to battle past Sara Errani with 4-6 7-6 (7-3) 6-3 in three sets on a windy day to give the US team a 2-1 lead over Italy in the Fed Cup Play Off in Brindisi.
Local favourite Flavia Pennetta drew level to 2-2 with her 6-1 6-1 win over Christina Mchale in just 56 minutes to the delight of home fans and her family. Thanks to her win Pennetta forced the match to the decisive doubles rubber
Williams never lost in her previous seven head-to-head matches against Errani who won just four games in their previous two matches but this time she had to fight hard when she went down a set and a break in the second set . Errani served for the match at 6-4 5-4 but Williams bounced back forcing the match to the tie-break where she raced to a 6-1 lead forcing the match to the third set.
Both players traded breaks in the first four games of the decider en route to 3-3. Williams then took control of the match winning the next three games. She closed out to love on her first match point in the final game to clinch the win with 6-3. With this win Williams extended her winning streak in Fed Cup matche s
“I really struggled in the wind on both sides. I don’t know what side was worse for me. I am able to adjust and it’s a little disappointing that I wasn’t able to adjust sooner. Today has been a big eye-opener. I need to go home and really train. I am not totally as ready for clay-court season as I thought I was”, said Williams
Italy secured the spot in the World Group with a win in the final doubles match. Flavia Pennetta and Sara Errani eased past Serena Williams and Allison Riske. Italy beat the US team for the fifth time in a row.
Pennetta and Errani raced out to 5-0 lead in the first set in just 17 minutes. In the second set Italy faced a tougher opposition but they rallied from a break down before breaking in the seventh game for 4-3 en route to winning the mathc with 6-3.
Pennetta was the heroine of the day with her 14th consecutive match win in the Fed Cup.
“It’s something really special in my career. I tried everything that I could and everything was working pretty good”, said Pennetta.
“We beat the United States with Serena Williams and Serena played all three matches. We are happy for this victory. We really don’t deserve to go in the second division”, said Italian captain Corado Barazzurri
Timea Baczinsky and Victoria Golubic won the 2-6 6-4 9-7 win in the decisive doubles runner securing a spot in next year’s World Group for Switzerland who prevailed with 3-2 over Poland in Zielona Gora.
Martina Hingis was leading 6-4 5-2 in the second set against Urszula Radwanska but she felt fatigue and suffered from cramps allowing the Pole to recover and win the second set with 7-5. Hingis went down 1-4 in the decider and had to take a seven-minute break because of severe cramps. Radwanska clinched the win with 4-6 7-5 6-1. Hingis, who was playing her first Fed Cup match since 1998, was expected to play the doubles but she was forced to withdraw because of the injury and was replaced by Golubic.
Baczinsky won both singles matches and the doubles securing three points. On Sunday the Swiss player eased past World Number 9 Agniewska Radwanska 6-1 6-1.
The Netherlands made their return for the first time since 1998 to the World Group with a 3-1 win over Australia. Aranxta Rus fought back from a bagel loss in the first set to beat Jarmila Gajdosova with 0-6 7-5 7-5. Earlier in the day Kiki Bertens secured the 2-1 point with a 6-2 6-3 win over Casey Dellacqua.
