Maiden title in sight: Germany beat Australia in Fed Cup semifinal
Tennis
By
-AP
| Apr 21, 2014
BRISBANE
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| Germany’s Angelique Kerber hits a return against Australia’s Sam Stosur during their match in the Fed Cup semifinal tie tennis match between Australia and Germany at Pat Rafter Arena in Brisbane, yesterday. [PHOTO: AFP] |
Germany sealed their place in the Fed Cup final by beating Australia, with Angelique Kerber clinching the victory with a three-set win over Sam Stosur yesterday.
Kerber overcame a slow start to win 4-6, 6-0, 6-4, giving Germany an unbeatable 3-0 lead and their first Fed Cup final berth since 1992, when they beat Spain for the title.
Stosur opened the third set by double-faulting on break point, but broke back to level on hard courts at Pat Rafter Arena.
In the third game which went to eight deuces, Stosur’s forehand error long gave Kerber the break and a 2-1 lead. Kerber was broken while serving for the match, but held serve two games later to close it out, clinching the semifinal with an ace. A later reverse singles match between Casey Dellacqua and Andrea Petkovic was not played.
Deciding pro set
Dellacqua and Ashleigh Barty, who advanced to three Grand Slam doubles finals last year, beat Julia Goerges and Anna-Lena Groenefeld 6-2, 6-7 (5) and 10-2 in the deciding pro set to make the final scoreline 3-1.
On Saturday, Petkovic and Kerber had straight-set wins — Petkovic opened with a 6-1, 7-6 (7) win over Stosur while Kerber defeated Dellacqua 6-1, 6-0.
Two years ago, Australia upset Germany 3-2 in Stuttgart in a World Group encounter in which Stosur won both her singles matches.
It was Australia’s first semifinal appearance since 1993. Australia has not won the Fed Cup since 1974 when seven-time Grand Slam singles champion Evonne Goolagong led Australia to victory.
italy beaten
In another match, The Czech Republic has reached the Fed Cup final by defeating defending champion Italy after Petra Kvitova won the first reverse singles.
Sixth-ranked Kvitova beat Roberta Vinci 6-3, 7-5 for an unbeatable 3-0 lead in the semifinals. The remaining doubles can’t change the overall result.
The Czechs face Germany in the final in November at home.
“It will be great to play the final at home,” Kvitova said. “We have an excellent team, it’s not just about one player.”
It’s the third final for the Czechs in four years after they claimed the Fed Cup title in 2011 and ‘12 and won nine of the last 10 Fed Cup ties, losing only to Italy in last year’s semis.
Vinci replaced Sara Errani — who was originally named for the match — and had a 2-1 record against Kvitova after beating her twice last year on clay.
—AP