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PARIS: Maria Sharapova finally got her Fed Cup career off the ground
on Saturday when she pulled defending champions Russia level against
Israel in their World Group quarterfinal.
The newly crowned Australian Open champion
blitzed world number 81 Tzipi Obziler 6-0, 6-4 at Ramat Hasharon
after teammate Dinara Safina had lost the first rubber against top
Israeli player Shahar Peer, going down 0-6, 6-2, 6-2.
“It was very weird to come on court being down
one love,” said Sharapova. “Usually when I play a match both
players start the match at the same level, so this was different but
I’m glad it’s over and I can’t wait for tomorrow’s match
versus Shahar.”
The reverse singles on Sunday will see Sharapova
take on Peer, Safina playing against Obziler, as well as the doubles
tie.
In Beijing, China, opened up a 2-0 lead over a
weakened France side to put themselves just one rubber away from a
first appearance in the semifinals.
China need only to win one more match from the
two reverse singles and the doubles on Sunday to clinch a place in
the last four against Spain or Italy as they look for a
morale-boosting victory on home soil ahead of the Olympics.
China’s No. 1 Li Na beat 18-year-old Alize
Cornet 6-3, 6-1 in the first rubber before No. 2 Peng Shuai then ran
out a 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 winner over Virginie Razzano.
France came into the match without their top
three—Amelie Mauresmo, Marion Bartoli and Tatiana Golovin.
Host United States, the tournament’s most
successful country with 17 titles but without a championship since
2000, struggled to a 1-1 start with Germany as 19-year-old Sabine
Lisicki upset US veteran Lindsay Davenport, 6-1, 7-5.
Davenport, who took time off last year to have
her first child, lost for only the third time in 28 Fed Cup singles
matches but Ashley Harkleroad pulled the Americans level by
defeating Tatiana Malek 6-1, 6-3.
-- AFP
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