Germany hammers depleted RI, France into Fed Cup semis
Germany hammers depleted RI, France into Fed Cup semis
Agencies, Essen, Germany
German number one Anna-Lena Groenefeld put a weakened Indonesian team out of its misery on Sunday as she swept aside Wynne Prakusya to give the hosts an unbeatable 3-0 lead in their Fed Cup World Group II tie.
Groenefeld, ranked 47th on the WTA computer, needed just 56 minutes to defeat 422nd ranked Wynne 6-0, 6-2 on the red clay courts of Etuf Essen stadium.
Germany went up 4-0 when Anca Barna defeated veteran Romana Tedjakusuma 6-4, 6-4 in 84 minutes. It was California-based Romana's first Fed Cup match in three years.
In the first match, Wynne raced to a 40-0 lead in Groenefeld's opening service game, but from then on struggled increasingly to deal with the powerful groundstrokes coming her way.
Groenefeld saved the break points before winning the opening game from an unforced error, www.fedcup.com reported.
The German won the first set in 25 minutes of one-sided bombardment on both flanks against an opponent who simply had no weapon in her armament to worry the 19 year old.
Groenefeld was similarly ruthless in the second set, opening up a 3-0 lead before Wynne took her first service game. Although she won another game, it was too late to change a losing scoreline.
On Saturday, Indonesia, without injured number one Angelique "Angie" Widjaja, had picked up just five games in its two singles matches.
Groenefeld needed only 53 minutes to overpower 16-year-old Ayu Fani Damayanti 6-3 6-1 before Julia Schruff took two minutes longer in blasting Wynne off the court 6-1 6-0.
"They're too tough," Indonesian captain Suzanna Anggarkusuma was quoted as saying on the Fed Cup's official website. "The courts do not suit us. We're used to playing on hardcourts, but in any case they move so much better than us and cover the court so well."
In contrast, Barbara Rittner was thoroughly enjoying her first day as captain for the two-time Fed Cup winners.
"To be honest, they (Indonesia) are a little outclassed out there. They are missing their number one and they are more used to playing on hard courts -- which is why, of course, we picked a claycourt," she said.
Meanwhile, in Phuket, Croatia qualified for the World Group I playoffs on Sunday after Jelena Kostanic and Sanda Mamic won the decisive doubles rubber against Montinee Tangphong and Napaporn Tongsalee 6-4, 6-2 in their World Group II tie for a 3-2 win.
In Poertschach, Austria, France, who lost to Russia in the 2004 final, rebounded from the upset of Natalie Dechy on Saturday by little known Yvonne Meusburger to take a winning 3-1 lead over the hosts on Sunday.
Razzano, who had brought her team level at 1-1 by defeating surprise selection Tamira Paszek, a 14-year-old schoolgirl, on Saturday, beat Meusburger 6-3, 7-6.
Dechy then overcame surprisingly strong resistance from Paszek 7-6, 6-2 to give France the win.
In Brindisi, Italy, Russia, without their three grand slam singles winners Anastasia Myskina, Maria Sharapova and Svetlana Kuznetsova, had Elena Dementieva to thank for taking both her singles and putting the team ahead 2-1.
On Sunday, she beat Francesca Schiavone 4-6, 7-6, 6-0 after beating Tathiana Garbin 6-4, 6-3.
Schiavone triumphed 7-5 6-3 over Dinara Safin in the opening singles on Saturday.