China beats RI in Federation Cup

China beats RI in Federation Cup

OSAKA, Japan (AFP): China maintained its unbeaten record in
the Fed Cup tennis Asia Oceania Group One tournament Thursday
with victory over Indonesia.

China's women tightened their grip on Pool B after Li Na
defeated Asian Games champion Yayuk Basuki 5-7, 6-1, 6-2 and Yi
Jinqian beat Wynne Prakusya in straight sets.

Yi triumphed 6-4, 6-1 to give the second seeds an unbeatable
2-0 lead.

Earlier in the day, Li trounced Tina Jacob 6-0, 6-1 and Yi
whitewashed Yik-Hui Leow 6-0, 6-0 as China defeated Singapore 2-0
in the rain-delayed tie.

"In Pool B, China, Taipei and Indonesia are equally strong.
Now we are going to concentrate on beating Taipei and hopefully
we can play Japan and beat them on the final day," said China's
captain Yu Liqiao.

Yu sidelined former Chinese number one Li Fang, for the
Indonesia clash, citing poor form.

"I thought Li Na would play better than Li Fang against
Basuki, although she is ranked lower, because Li Fang played
another tournament in the United States and she just arrived here
Tuesday," she added.

Indonesia lies in second place in Group B with two wins and
one defeat, Taiwan is in third with one win and a loss, while New
Zealand is fourth having won one and lost two. South Korea is
fifth with two defeats while Singapore is bottom after losing its
three matches so far in pool B.

Indonesia earlier got off to a flying start against South
Korea when Yayuk whipped Choi Jin-young 6-2, 6-2.

But Wynne needed a tough two hours 23 minutes to beat Cho
Yoon-jeong 3-6, 7-6 (7/4), 6-4 to seal a 2-0 victory.

Indonesia's team captain Suzanna Anggarkusuma said: "It was
very tough, because my first player Prakusya always had tough
matches against the Korean number one player on the tour.

"But it was a good win for her. She couldn't concentrate well.
It's difficult because of a problem like yesterday. We have to
play China, it's also tough against them. For us, it's not fair,
it's very hard for Indonesia," she added.

Third seed Taiwan had a tough day, beating New Zealand 2-1 in
a five-hour battle before tackling South Korea later on.

Their match with the Koreans was finely balanced at 1-1 after
the singles rubbers, with the decisive doubles match due on
Friday.

Top seed Japan defeated India 2-0 and then breezed past Hong
Kong 3-0, to lead the five-team Pool A with two straight wins,
followed by India with two wins and one loss, fourth seeded
Thailand with one win and one defeat, Kazakhstan with 1-2 and
Hong Kong 0-2.

"Everybody can play singles and doubles, so it was good for us
when we had to play two teams a day," said Japanese ace Ai
Sugiyama.

Sugiyama defeated Nirupama Vaidyanathan 6-2, 6-3 in the win
over India, and then teamed up with Nana Miyagi to beat Hong
Kong's Olivia Graveraux and Tong Ka-po 6-1, 6-0 in their doubles
later.

"I was a bit tight in the morning, because we had to play
again later, but if we can play as well as we usually do, I'm
sure we can join the world group, but it will be a tough match
against Tamarine Tanasugarn," added Sugiyama, referring to the
Thai ace.

Thailand, which suffered a shock defeat to India Tuesday, had
a comfortable day as Napaporn Tongsalee brushed aside Alissa
Velts 6-0, 6-1, and Tamarine blanked Valeriya Khazova 6-0, 6-0 to
complete the job.

Results (x denotes seeds)

Group One

Pool A

Japan (x1) 3 Hong Kong 0
Yuka Yoshida bt Chan Lee 6-1, 6-2
Shinobu Asagoe bt Tong Ka-po 6-1, 6-1
Ai Sugiyama/Nana Miyagi bt Olivia Graveraux/Tong Ka-po 6-1, 6-0

India 3 Kazakhstan 0
Jayaram-Sai Jayalakshmy bt Alissa Velts 6-2, 6-3
Nirupama Vaidyanathan bt Valeriya Khazova 6-2, 6-2
Manisha Malhotra/Nirupama Vaidyanathan bt Alissa Velts/Valeriya
Khazova 7-6 (7/5), 6-4

Pool B

China (x2) 2 Indonesia 0
Li Na bt Yayuk Basuki 5-7, 6-1, 6-2
Yi Jingqian bt Wynne Prakusya 6-4, 6-1
(will play doubles later if it is needed)

Taiwan (x3) 1 South Korea 1
Chung Yan-jin (Kor) bt Tai Lan-lan (Tpe) 6-1, 4-6, 6-1
Janet Lee (Tpe) bt Chae Kyung-yee (Kor) 6-3, 6-2
(Taiwan-Korea tie postponed as one player is allowed to play up
to three matches a day)

New Zealand 3 Singapore 0
Nikki Tippins bt Simin Liu 6-0, 6-0
Leanne Baker bt Yik-Hui Leow 6-0, 6-0
Rewa Hudson/Shelley Stephens bt Yik-Hui Leow/Tina Jacob 6-0, 6-0

Group Two

Pool A

Uzbekistan (x1) 3 Fiji 0
Luisa Biktyakova bt Hamidan Bibi 6-1, 6-0
Iroda Tulyaganova bt Archana Reddy 6-0, 6-1
Luisa Biktyakova/Anna Shchupak bt Hamidan Bibi/Archana Reddy 6-3,
6-4

Pacific Oceania 3 Iraq 0
Davilyn Godinet bt Alaa A.A. Ali 6-1, 6-0
Tagifano So'onalole bt Salima-Esmat Salman 6-0, 6-0
Nicole Angat/Davilyn Godinet bt Alaa A.A. Ali/Salima-Esmat Salman
6-0, 6-1

Pool B

Jordan 2 Sri Lanka 1
Dina Dajani (Jor) bt Vajira Premaratne (Sri) 6-0, 6-3
Sobhini de Silva (Sri) bt Dina Naffa (Jor) 6-1, 6-1
Dina Dajani/Dina Naffa (Jor) bt Sobhini de Silva/Vajira
Premaratne (Sri) 4-6, 6-4, 6-3

Pakistan 2 Syria 1
Shaza Tinawi (Syr) bt Mehvish Chistie (Pak) 7-6 (7/5), 6-3
Nida Waseem (Pak) bt Farah Dayoub (Syr) 6-2, 6-3
Nosheen Ehtesham/Nida Waseem (Pak) bt Farah Dayoub/Hazar Sidki
(Syr) 6-3, 1-6, 6-1

Philippines (x2) 3 Tajikistan 0
Czarina-Mae Arevalo bt Zinaida Shantalova 6-4, 6-3
Maricris Fernandez bt Shalio Ibedullaeva 6-0, 6-1
Vida Alpurto/Czarina-Mae Arevalo bt Roxana
Abdurahimaanova/Zinaida Shantalova 6-4, 6-1