Petra Kvitova outshines Sabine Lisicki in round one – Fed Cup WG
World number two, Petra Kvitova, rallied past the German star, Sabine Lisicki, with a 6-7(2), 6-4, 6-1 victory in the first round at the Fed Cup by BNP Paribas. The Czech showed tremendous skills and eventually led her country into the semi-finals at this
most important tournament between national teams in women’s tennis.
The reigning Wimbledon champion, Kvitova took her country to a 2-0 lead after battling past Julia Goerges, ranked 21st in the WTA rankings, on Saturday. In the third match that took place on Sunday, the Czech number one showed her best tennis
to outclass Lisicki, eventually booking a spot in the final four.
“Yeah, I mean I had trouble with my return at the beginning and it was really a long time when I know what I had to do,” admitted the 21-year-old Czech. “It was in the middle of the second set so I’m happy that I got it and I knew how I can return her serve.
She played very well and I’m really happy that we have three points already.”
14th ranked German confidently entered the Porsche Arena and smoothly bagged entire serves. Through her tremendous defensive skills, Lisicki blocked all breakpoints she faced and dragged the set to a tie-breaker. She dominated in it and ultimately
clinched the set with a 7-6(2) score line.
Kvitova redeployed her strategy in the following set and smoothly held her serve in the opening game. She maintained consistency in her game and pocketed the remaining serves with conviction. The Czech then broke to nil in the last game and earned the spotlight
with a 6-4 win.
The high flying Czech kept her rhythm in the final set and got the desiderated break in the second game. After Lisicki held her serve in the fourth game, Kvitova unleashed her skills again and stroke out the last three games, subsequently pocketing a breadstick.
“I think Petra played better in the big points,” said the disappointing German. “It was a very close match and I’m happy that I played way better than yesterday.”
Germany’s Angelique Kerber managed to defeat Lucie Hradecka but it was too late for her country to overpower their rivals.
In the final match of this best of five series, Iveta Benesova teamed up with Barbora Zahlavova Strycova to overpower the German tandem of Goerges and Anna-Lena Groenefeld in straight sets.
As a result, Czech Republic downed the host team with a 4-1 score line and advanced into the semi-finals where the third seeded Italian team awaits them.
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