 |
|
||
 |
|||
 |
 |
 |
   | 
| |||||||||||||||||||||
Spain and U.S. close to Fed semis
 Craybas celebrates after saving a match point before beating Schruff. LONDON, England -- Spain and the United States are within touching distance of reaching the Fed Cup semifinals. A second string United States team travelled to Ettenheim in Germany without former world number ones Lindsay Davenport and sisters Venus and Serena Williams through injury. However, replacements Jamea Jackson and Jill Craybas turned the formbook on its head when they walked away with both the singles rubbers. Despite being ranked 61 places behind her opponent, Fed Cup debutant Jackson edged out a below-par world number 14 Anna-Lena Groenefeld 6-2 3-6 7-5 and Craybas saved a match point en route to a 4-6 6-2 7-5 win over Julia Schruff. German coach Barbara Rittner was particularly critical of Groenefeld's performance. "Anna-Lena showed at most 30 percent of what she can do today, if that. She was moving badly and she served poorly. It was like she was paralysed," she said. Germany, who are seeking their first title in the women's team event since 1992, have to win all three of Sunday's matches if they are to progress any further. The winner of the tie will face either holders Russia or Belgium in the last four in July. Russia got off to a perfect start in their quest to win a third successive title when Elena Dementieva overwhelmed a rusty Kim Clijsters 6-4 6-3. But Justine Henin-Hardenne ensured the 2001 champions did not hand over the psychological advantage to the Russians ahead of Sunday's rubbers by overcoming Nadia Petrova 6-7 6-4 6-3. Making her Fed Cup comeback in Liege after a 33-month hiatus from the competition, Henin-Hardenne had to rely on all of her battling instincts to level the tie at 1-1. In the other half of the draw, France split the rubbers 1-1 with Italy, while Spain are one win away from reaching the last four for the third year running after taking a 2-0 lead over Austria. Amelie Mauresmo ambushed Flavia Pennetta 6-1 6-1 to draw France level in Nancy after Francesca Schiavone had earlier put the Italians in front with a 6-7 6-3 6-3 victory over Nathalie Dechy. World number one Mauresmo put in a commanding 52-minute performance against Pennetta, breaking her opponent's serve twice in the first set and bagging five games in a row to take the second. Pennetta saved one match point before bowing out on the second when Mauresmo struck a winning backhand. "I dominated the match and the result proves it," Mauresmo said. "I'm happy to have brought this point to the team. We will have to score two more points tomorrow. "I'm expecting a tough challenge from Schiavone... she proved she was really solid today," added Mauresmo. In Valencia, Spanish debutant Lourdes Dominguez-Lino edged past Austrian number one Sybille Bammer 7-6 3-6 6-3 in a marathon match that lasted over two and a half hours. Anabel Medina Garrigues doubled the lead with a 6-3 7-5 win over Yvonne Meusburger. "I felt the pressure of representing Spain in the second set but was able to overcome the nerves to play a good third," said Dominguez-Lino. 
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||
 |
|
| © 2007 Cable News Network LP, LLLP. A Time Warner Company. All Rights Reserved. Terms under which this service is provided to you. Read our privacy guidelines. Contact us. Site Map. |
|
External sites open in new window; not endorsed by CNN.com
Pay service with live and archived video. 
