Thailand, RI reach world playoffs

Thailand, RI reach world playoffs

Associated Press New Delhi

Thailand and Indonesia advanced to the Fed Cup World Group qualifying playoffs with contrasting victories in Saturday's Asia-Pacific Zone Group 1 matches.

Asia-Oceania Zone's top-seeded Thailand coasted to a 2-0 victory against host India, while second-ranked Indonesia survived some tense moments in the decisive doubles before prevailing 2-1 against fourth-seeded New Zealand.

The World Group qualifier playoffs will be played in July.

Indonesia had made the World Cup qualifying round last year along with Japan.

Japan went on to advance to the World Group for 2004, but Indonesia reverted to Asia-Pacific Zone's Group 1.

Marina Erakovic gave New Zealand a winning start by racing to a 6-2, 6-1 triumph against Wynne Prakusya in the first singles, only to see Indonesia's top player Angelique Widjaja level the scores by defeating Shelley Stephens 6-0, 6-3.

Widjaja, the 2002 junior Wimbledon champion, was playing a singles match for the first time in this tournament.

In the decisive doubles encounter, the Widjaja-Prakusya pair survived two match points in the 10th game of the second set before winning 4-6, 7-6 (5), 6-1 against Eden Marama and Paula Marama.

Thailand's No. 2 Suchanun Viratprasert held her nerve in the first-set tiebreaker to prevail 7-6 (3), 6-1 against India No. 1 Sania Mirza in the opening singles.

Dropping her service in the fourth game of the first set, Mirza broke back in the 10th to force the issue into the tiebreaker, where Viratprasert's superior court-craft proved decisive against her erratic opponent.

Viratprasert faced no competition in the second set as Mirza only managed to hold service once - in the second game.

Tamarine Tanasugarn, Thailand's No. 1 and winner of the WTA Tour's Indian Open last year, trounced Rushmi Chakravarthi 6-0, 6-1 to clinch one of the two World Group qualifying round spots from this event.

Chakravarthi's only point of the match came when she held service in the first game of the second set.

With Thailand having secured a winning lead, the doubles match was abandoned.

Uzbekistan and the Philippines drop down to Asia-Oceania Zone's Group 2 competition for 2005. Their places will be taken by Kazakhstan and Singapore, who topped the five-team Group 2 league competition.