Daniela Hantuchova secures a world group place for Slovakia – Fed Cup WG Play-offs
Former world number five, Daniela Hantuchova, made an epic comeback against Spain’s Lourdes Dominguez-Lino and consequently led her nation into the World Group stage of the Fed Cup. She manipulated a 0-6, 7-6(4), 6-4 victory against the 31-year-old to send Spain into the World Group II.
The Slovakian star displayed top class performance to outsmart Dominguez-Lino in brutal three sets at the Club de Tenis Puente Romano in Marbella, Spain. After earning this success, Hantuchova dumped the home side into the World Group II.
“I’m really proud of the way I have played,” said the blossoming Slovak. “It was a very tough match for me, especially with my injury. I was struggling a lot and I wasn’t sure whether I would be able to play, and that is why this victory is that much more important.”
The Spanish veteran assertively stepped into Spanish red dirt and unleashed her skills to go on a six-game killing spree, ultimately sealing the opener with a bagel.
Hantuchova rebounded in the following set and cruised to a 4-0 lead with two breaks of serve. She lost her concentration again and after losing her serve twice, she dragged the set to the tie-breaker. However, the Slovak edged past Dominguez-Lino in it and clinched the equaliser with a 7-6(4) score line.
The match was poised on a knife edge but the Slovak was the one who carried her momentum. She dominated in it and consequently carved out the victory with a 6-4 success.
Dominguez-Lino was quoted: “It was a great weekend for me and for the team. We played well yesterday and today. I am sad because we lost, but we were close to making a good response, but it’s fine.”
In the fifth rubber, the Slovakian team, Magdalena Rybarikova and Anna Karolina Schmiedlova, suffered a 0-6, 7-6(7), 3-6 shock at the hands of the in-form Spaniards, Nuria Llagostera Vives and Arantxa Parra-Santonja.
Despite the doubles loss, Slovakia qualified for the World Group stage as Dominika Cibulkova outshined her Spanish rival, Silvia Soler-Espinosa, in straight sets in the third rubber. The Slovakian number one was clearly the favourite and she proved her class by formulating a 6-4, 6-4 victory.
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