Fed Cup Winners: US, Russia, Italy, Czechs; Ivanovic Goes 0-3
By Matthew Cronin, TennisReporters.net
Mattek was money.
SUNDAY, FEB. 7-Melanie Oudin’s
slump is over. The American teen closed out the US shutout of France by
besting Julie Coin 7-6, 6-4, giving the visiting team a slight upset on
clay. French captain Nicolas Escude decided not to play a nervous Alize
Cornet after her implosion in her loss to Bethanie Mattek on Saturday,
but Coin failed no better against the ambitious Oudin. “I was a
bit nervous and she was serving great, but as the match advanced I got
more and more confident and I'm obviously thrilled that I was able to
allow the US to go to the semis," Oudin said.
The US will face Russia, who overcame another poor performance
by Ana Ivanovic, who went 0-3 at home. Former No. 1 Ivanovic
failed to win a set during the weekend, falling to Svetlana Kuznetsova
on day one, and then after Jelena Jankovic came through over Kuznetsova
6-3, 4-6, 6-3, Ivanovic went down to Alisa Kleybanova 6-2, 6-3, and then
in the doubles, teamed with her rival Jankovic against Kleybanova/
Kuznetsova 6-1, 6-4. Who knows how far down Ivanovic will go
from here.
Holder Italy beat Ukraine 4-1 when Flavia Pennetta
pulled off a huge win over Alona Bondarenko 7-5, 7-6, and then
Francesca Schiavone took a 2-6, 6-1, 6-1 victory over Kateryna Bondarenko.
Itali will play the Czechs, who pushed past Germany 3-2
when the duo of Lucie Hradecka and Kveta Peschke took
out Germans Anna-Lena Groenefeld and Tatjana Malek 6-1, 6-3 in the deciding
rubber.
US Fences in France; Other Three Fed Cup
Ties at 1-1
SATURDAY, FEB. 6 - Just as suspected, captain Mary Joe Fernandez’s
more mentally tough squad was able to overcome a fragile French team on
the first day of Fed Cup on Saturday.
Bethanie Mattek-Sands, who had been playing excellent overall ball in
Australia and was match tough after competing in all three competitions,
edged out a constantly anxious Alize Cornet 7-6(7), 7-5. Then Melanie
Oudin, who has been seriously struggled, regained a part of the form that
made her a summer 2009 sensation when she took a 6-4, 6-4 win over Pauline
Parmentier, giving the US a 2-0 lead. Credit Fernandez for coaching Oudin
out of a four- month slump, and throw at least a little blame at French
captain Nicolas Escude, who, like a number of others, has been unable
to convince former top-20 player Cornet that she’s still a high
level athlete.
The once promising Cornet, who hasn’t won a live rubber in five
ties, was unable to covert four set points in the first set. "I was
really nervous when coming on the court. I guess I take things too much
to heart. I felt like I was petrified by the stress," she said.
In Serbia, Ana Ivanovic once again couldn’t get it done, but Jelena
Jankovic, who had been complaining about an injury, came through with
flying colors against Russia. Svetlana Kuznetsova blasted Ivanovic 6-1,
6-4, but Jankovic outlasted the talented yet out of shape Alisa Kleybanova
4-6, 6-4, 6-0. Jankovic will likely have to come up huge again on Sunday
if Serbia is to win the home tie.
Italy and Ukraine are level at 1-1, when Alona Bondarenko smoked Francesca
Schiavone 6-1, 6-4 but her Ukrainian sister, Kateryna Bondarenko went
down to Flavia Pennetta 7-5, 6-3. That one is a toss-up too. The Czech
Republic and Germany are also 1-1, as Germany’s Anna-Lena Groenefeld
beat up Lucie Safarova 6-2 ,6-2, and then Czech Petra Kvitova's came though
6-4, 6-4 over Andrea Petkovic. In World Group II, Australia and Spain
are 1-1 as Sam Stosur and Anabel Medina posted victories. Canada bested
Uruguay to earn a World II spot.
Fed Cup Preview: US in With Shot; Russia, Italy
Czechs Other Favorites
FRIDAY, FEB. 5 - Who would have thought that the under-womaned US
Fed Cup team would travel to France to play at the Stade Couvert
Regional de Lievin on clay and actually appear to have a better team without
the Williams sisters? But that will be the case when the two squads face
off this coming weekend, as US captain Mary-Jo Fernandez has two singles
players – Melanie Oudin and Bethanie Mattek-Sands – who are
just as good if not better than Alize Cornet and Pauline
Parmentier , and has a doubles player, Liezel Huber, who is by far the
class of the competitors. As good as Cornet was in 2008, she’s never
won a Fed Cup live rubber, and Parmentier is a middle of the road player
at best. Oudin has been stressing out since the US Open and is also a
question mark, but Mattek has been playing very well since her return
in January. “The match-ups are tough, it’s pretty even. The
matches can go either way, but hopefully our team will be a bit mentally
tougher,” Fernandez said. Serbia will play in front of a packed house in Belgrade,
but neither Ana Ivanovic not Jelena Jankovic have been anywhere near at
the top of their games this year so they’ll be hard-pressed to take
out powerhouse Russia, even playing at home. Ivanovic will take on Roland
Garros champion Svetlana Kuznetsova in the opening singles rubber, as
the Russian made a last minute decision to rejoin the team. Ivanovic really
needs the win and has played well at home, but she’s had a tough
time keeping her nerves settled over the last year and half. Then Jankovic,
who has been injured, will face Alisa Kleybanova, who continues to improve
and who gave Justine Henin hell in Australia. Even playing away, the
Russians have to be favored.
It’s nice to see the Ukraine hosting a notable
tie, but the Bondarenko sisters will have a real tussle
against defending champs Italy, which is once again led by Flavia Pennetta
and Francesca Schiavone. Alona Bondarenko, who had a terrific Aussie Open,
will take on Francesca Schiavone and then Kateryna Bondarenko will go
up against Pennetta. However, according to Nick Lester on Fedcup.com,
inclement weather meant that the flight carrying all but two of Italian
team to Kharkiv was forced to divert and land in Kiev, and then
they were forced to take an eight-hour bus trip. Due to lost luggage,
Schiavone had to put up with three days of practice without her own rackets
and shoes. The Czechs will host Germany in Brno behind veteran Lucie
Safarova and Petra Kvitova. Safarova will face Anna-Lena Groenefeld while
Kvitova takes on the improving Andrea Petkovic.
Winners in Zagreb were Cilic, Melzer, Berrer and Troicki,
while in South Africa, Monfils, Ferrer, Felciano Lopez
and Robert all won.
