After day one of the Fed Cup final, Barbora Strycova and Katerina Siniakova have given the Czech Republic a 2-0 lead over USA in Prague.
An emotional Barbora Strycova defeated Sofia Kenin 6-7(5) 6-1 6-4 in 2 hours and 43 minutes to give the hosts a 1-0 lead.
While Siniakova consolidated the lead with a straight sets win over a tough Alison Riske, who was also very emotional during the opening ceremony.
The Americans are without a top 30 player this week as the Czechs managed without Petra Kvitova for today’s action. Katerina Siniakova can seal the Fed Cup for the Czech Republic with a win over Alison Riske.
The final started with Strycova and Riske barely being able to control their emotions as the Czech Republican knew that this would be her final Fed Cup tie.
The dramatic Czech was up against world number 52, Sofia Kenin who was making her Fed Cup debut. It was a nervy first set from Strycova, who struggled to neutralise Kenin’s power on serve.
Two breaks were given away as Kenin forced a tight first set tiebreak in what was a fired-up O2 Arena in Prague. The American took her second set point to take the first set.
Emotions were more controlled in the second set as Strycova’s spin caused Kenin trouble and made her more confident as a result.
Two breaks of serve was enough as the world number 33 took the first rubber to a deciding set, which saw Petra Kvitova and her fellow Czech Republicans ecstatic.
Despite Kenin pulling back a 4-1 deficit and reducing the set to a single break, it wasn’t enough as a picture-perfect volley gave Strycova the victory and with it the first rubber.
A win in her last-ever #FedCup tie!@BaraStrycova defeats Sofia Kenin 67(5) 61 64 in two hours 43 minutes to give the hosts a 1-0 lead in Prague. #FedCupFinal 🇨🇿1️⃣🆚0️⃣🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/jGm3CpLjlb
— Billie Jean King Cup (@BJKCup) November 10, 2018
After the match Strycova explained why she was so emotional, “It’s funny because it’s her first tie and my last one,” she announced.
“For me it was a lot of emotions. I fought for every ball, and I’m so happy I could win today in front of this crowd – it means a lot to me.”
The veteran’s hard work was consolidated in the second rubber as Katerina Siniakova powered past Alison Riske 6-3 7-6(2) to give the hosts a 2-0 lead.
A medium-fast hardy would’ve given the American the advantage but that wasn’t the case as Siniakova proved too good from the back of the court.
The win means Czech Republic are a rubber away from winning their sixth Fed Cup title and their fourth in five years. They would also seal their first win over USA in 33 years.
The question is now will it be Katerina Siniakova or Petra Kvitova that gets the honour of sealing the Fed Cup for the Czech Republic?
