Russia progress to Fed Cup finals
Published 27 April, 2008, 20:54
Russia's Fed Cup team is through to the final for the second year running, following an impressive performance at Moscow's Luzhniki, where they beat the U.S. team. Vera Zvonareva, a last minute replacement for Svetlana Kuznetsova, gave Russia the win by beating Vanya King in the first of Sunday's singles.
It wasn’t that easy though for Zvonareva against the world number 115, who surprisingly took the opening set. King broke the Russian's serve in the 9th game and took the set 6-4.
But Zvonareva fought back to level matters at one set all as she produced some powerful baseline tennis to win the second set 6-3 and force the decider.
By the end of the rubber, Zvonareva took control of the game, to wrap up the match and the tie 6-2. Russia move through with a straightforward win.
Then in a match, which decided nothing, Ahsha Rolle beat Elena Vesnina to at least get some respectability for the U.S.
Shamil Tarpischev's team will take on Spain in the final after the Spaniards thrashed China, 4-1. Nuria Llagostera Vives clinched the decisive third point by beating Shuai Peng 6-4 6-4 in Sunday's opening singles.
This is the first Fed Cup final for Spain since 2002, when they lost to the Americans in Las Vegas.
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