Serbians create history by reaching the final of Federation Cup – Tennis News
Serbia created history, as Ana Ivanovic and Jelena Jankovic guided their county to the final of the Federation Cup for the first time. Playing in an away tie, Serbia defeated Russia 3-2 in the semi-final on Sunday.
As both teams had triumphed in one match each on Saturday, the overnight score was tied at 1-1. Ivanovic, who had lost her match on the opening day of the tie, gave Serbia a 2-1 lead, as she defeated Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in
three sets 3-6, 6-0, 6-3 in the first reverse single on Sunday.
The Serbian made a terrible start, as she lost opening five games of the match to trail 0-5. However, she made a great comeback and completely turned around the match, capturing 13 of the next 14 games. Ivanovic lost the first
set 3-6 but crushed the Russian in the second, as she won it 6-0. The Serbian raced to a 4-0 lead in the decider and made the most of it to triumph 6-3.
Ivanovic said, talking to the reporters after the match, "I didn't have a great night of sleep last night. I felt a lot of pressure after what happened yesterday. I was a little bit tense in the beginning of the match against Anastasia.
She was hardly missing a ball and every shot was a winner. I just thought, 'Just find your rhythm, this set is gone.”
Jankovic put finish touches to the victory, as she toppled former US Open champion, Svetlana Kuznetsova, in straight sets 6-1, 6-4 in the second match of the day to give her side an unassailable 3-1 lead.
Former world number one, Jankovic was dominant throughout the opening set, as she allowed the Russian to win only one game, breaking her twice to clinch it 6-1.
She gave a scare to the Serbian fans, as she lost first three games of the second set to go down 0-3. Though, she bounced back to grab six of the next seven games and seal it 6-4.
The jubilant Serbian shared, "I have goose bumps because it's so exciting for us. We've come a long way. I remember those days we would play in the lower groups, so it's so exciting for us to be in the final and playing for the
trophy. I'm very proud of our team and everyone who has helped us."
In the dead doubles match, Pavlyuchenkova and Elena Vesnina of Russia beat Serbia’s Bojana Jovanovski and Aleksandra Krunic in straight sets 6-4, 6-0 to make the final score line 3-2.
Serbia will take on Czech Republic in hope of grabbing the Federation Cup title for the first time in its tennis history. Czechs advanced to the final after thrashing Italy 4-1 in the semis.
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