Fed Cup 2011 Update – Czechs vs Germans

Written by: Staff on 6th February 2012

Fed Cup 2011 Update - Czechs vs Germans

Petra Kvitova of Czech Republic returns a shot during her match against Ana Ivanovic of Serbia during the fourth round women's singles match at the Australian Open Grand Slam tennis tournament in Melbourne, Australia, 23 January 2012. EPA/AHMAD YUSNI |

Petra Kvitova has to be very tired. But, after two misfires to start the year, she finally won something. With the Czechs up 2-0 on Germany, she faced Sabine Lisicki — and, for the second straight day, was pushed to three sets. But she won, 6-7 6-4 6-1, and the Czechs became the first team to win a World Group tie. Fitting, considering that they’re the defending champions.

That of course made it substitution time, and that finally let the Germans earn a point: Angelique Kerber beat Lucie Hradecka 6-4 6-4. But the regular Czech team of Benesova/Zahlavova Strycova proceeded to beat Goerges/Groenefeld 6-3 7-6, giving the defending champions a 4-1 victory.

Russia, which seemed set to roll over Spain, ran into a bit of a roadblock. Maria Sharapova was supposed to play the first reverse singles, but she bailed out (her excuse was pain in her right arm) and Nadia Petrova had to substitute with almost no notice. And she clearly wasn’t ready. Carla Suarez Navarro beat her 6-0 6-3. But it was a temporary respite. Svetlana Kuznetsova had a tough time, but finally beat Silvia Soler-Espinosa 6-2 4-6 6-3 to put Russia through. Kuznetsova and Petrova bagged the doubles after losing the first set 6-3 to Llagostera Vives/Parra Santonja.

Serbia, already lacking Ana Ivanovic, suffered another blow when Jelena Jankovic bailed out of the #3 singles match due to a leg injury suffered the day before. That left Aleksandra Krunic to face Yanina Wickmayer, and Krunic won only one game. But Belgium didn’t have much to back up Wickmayer, and Bojana Jovanovski extended the tie by beating Kirsten Flipkens 6-2 6-4.

Originally Jankovic was supposed to play the doubles. But it ended up being Jovanovski playing with Krunic. The Belgians brought in their ace, making their team Wickmayer/van Uytvanck. That’s two rather dodgy teams, but the Serbs somehow pulled out the tie 7-6 4-6 6-1. Now we wait to see how that leg problem affects Jankovic in Paris….

Italy’s Francesca Schiavone had looked awful on Saturday, and she still wasn’t great on Sunday, but she was strong enough to beat Ukraine’s Kateryna Bondarenko 6-7 7-5 6-4 to give Italy a 2-1 lead. That wasn’t much help, though. Lesia Tsurenko, who had already beaten Schiavone on Saturday, proved it was no fluke by beating Sara Errani 6-1 3-0, retired.

That not only cost Italy a point but meant that their expected doubles team of Errani/Vinci was in trouble. They decided to substitute Flavia Pennetta, who had earlier been ruled out of singles due to injury. And Pennetta had enough — just barely. The Pennetta/Vinci, hobbling as they were, managed to win the doubles 7-5 0-6 6-1. Now we wait to find out how much damage the Italians did to their players….

In the semifinal, it will be Russia against Serbia and the Czechs against the Italians.

In World Group II, the jinx on Polona Hercog continued as Ayumi Morita beat her 3-6 7-6 6-1. That gave Japan a 3-0 lead, making them the first team in either of the World Groups to advance. Nor did they stop there; Japanese substitute Kurumi Nara beat Slovene substitute Petra Rampre 6-4 6-4, and the Japanese team of Fujiwara/Morita made it a 5-0 sweep by beating Kolar/Rampre 6-3 5-7 6-0.

Australia wasn’t far behind in clinching. Samantha Stosur put the Australians up 2-1 by beating Stefanie Voegele 6-3 6-2. And the Swiss ended up pulling their former #1, Timea Bacsinszky, replacing her with Amra Sadikovic. Jarmila Gajdosova proceeded to clinch by edging Sadikovic 6-3 3-6 8-6. Casey Dellacqua and Jelena Dokic then beat Sadikovic and 14-year-old Belinda Bencic 7-5 6-4 to give Australia a 4-1 win.

Virginie Razzano’s day one heroics for France didn’t do any good in the long run. Dominika Cibulkova put the Slovaks up 2-1 by beating Pauline Parmentier 6-4 6-3, and then the French put in Alize Cornet for Razzano, and Daniela Hantuchova clinched by beating Cornet 6-3 6-4. Strangely, Razzano then came out for doubles (which she never played much), teaming with Kristina Mladenovic. They beat the Slovak bench players, Rybarikova/Cepelova, 6-1 6-2, but the Slovaks had a 3-2 win.

Serena Williams seems to be making a habit of starting badly. She had a hard time in the first set on Saturday; she struggled even more on Sunday. But after that slow start, she roared into action, beating Anastasia Yakimova 5-7 6-1 6-1. And, since the Americans already led 2-0, that clinched the tie. That just left the question of who would play the second singles. We wondered if the Americans would have Venus Williams play — but, no Christina McHale came out; it was Belarus which substituted. Darya Kustova replaced Olga Govortsova — but lost 6-0 6-1.

Venus did finally play, though; she and Liezel Huber beat Kustova and Yakimova 6-1 6-2. A small start to a comeback, but it’s a start….