Lucie Safarova thrashes Jelena Jankovic to clinch the tie – Fed Cup Final 2012
World number 17, Lucie Safarova, became the heroine of her country, as she defeated Jelena Jankovic of Serbia to win the 2012 Federation Cup title for Czech Republic on Sunday.
After Serbia lost both matches on Saturday, Ivanovic had provided a little hope to her team by beating Petra Kvitova in straight sets and reducing the trail to 1-2. However, Safarova played the best tennis of her life in the second
rubber of the day, toppling Jankovic 6-1, 6-1 to clinch the tie for her side.
The Czech number two made an ideal start in the match, breaking Jankovic in the first and third game to race to a 4-0 lead. The Serbian player succeeded in opening her account by holding her serve in the fifth but she dropped it
again in the seventh to lose 1-6.
It looked like the second set would be more competitive than the first, as both players held their opening serves to square off the score at 1-1. However, Safarova treated the home crowd in the best manner, as she completely dominated
the contest from that point onwards, winning five games in a row to seal it 6-1.
The Czech star said while talking to the reporters during the post match press conference, "It's hard to describe how I feel. I played an unbelievable game. I desperately wanted to win and I'm really delighted. It's fantastic to
win at home, in Prague. I played one of the best matches of my career."
She added, "Here at home in this type of crowd, it's indescribable, it's an amazing feeling. There are so many emotions and happiness and that is the feeling we are practicing for every day, even if you're not in the mood to work."
Earlier in the day, Czech number one, Kvitova, could not seal the tie for her country, as she was stunned by the former world number one, Ivanovic, in straight sets 3-6, 5-7 in the third rubber.
However, history was in also in favour of the Czechs, as no side has won the final by coming back from a 0-2 deficit in 50-year of Fed Cup competition.
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