This weekend the Federation Cup final was played between Czech Republic and Russia.
Czech Republic reached the final defeating Slovakia 3-2 in the first round and Belgium 3-2 in the semifinals.
Russia reached the final defeating France 3-2 in the first round and now former champions Italy in the semifinals 5-0.
Maria Kirilenko vs. Petra Kvitova
Maria Kirilenko starts the match with great intensity but after a slow start Petra Kvitova begins one of her moments where she seems invincible and from the fifth game she breaks her opponent twice in a row to win the set 6-2.
In the second set Petra Kvitova keeps on playing well and starts the set breaking Maria Kirilenko. The Russian tries to do her best to stay in the match but in the seventh game she loses her service game again and in the next game the Czech closes with an ace to win the set 6-2 winning the match and the first point for Czech Republic.
Svetlana Kuznetsova vs. Lucie Safarova
Lucie Safarova is tense and it shows in the first game, when she makes two double faults and another unforced error so she immediately loses her service game. Svetlana Kuznetsova can play her favorite tennis taking the lead and breaks her opponent in the third game as well. With such an advantage the Russian can play with ease and win the first set 6-2.
The second set starts like the first, with Lucie Safarova losing her service game but this time the Czech breaks Svetlana Kuznetsova back in the next game. The Czech hosever loses again her service game in the fifth game making two double-faults, tries to react but loses her service game another time in the ninth game delivering to the Russian the set 6-3 and the match which ties the final.
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Petra Kvitova vs. Svetlana Kuznetsova
Petra Kvitova starts the match aggressively breaking Svetlana Kuznetsova in the first game but loses her service in the next game, partly because of two double faults. After the difficult start, the Russian plays very well and in the sixth game breaks the Czech. It’s the first of five straight breaks which in the end allow Kuzentsova to win the first set 6-4.
In the second set Petra Kvitova ripping breaks Svetlana Kuznetsova in the third game and again in the fifth game. The Czech wins the set 6-2.
In the third set Svetlana Kuznetsova starts breaking Petra Kvitova in the second game. Trailing 3-0, with all the pressure on him, the Czech flips the overdrive switch and wins six straight games closing the set 6-3 to win the match and give Czech Republic a 2-1 lead in the final.
Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova vs. Lucie Safarova
Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova replaces Maria Kirilenko in this single match and after a close start in the fifth game she breaks Lucie Safarova and does it again in the seventh game then wins the set 6-2.
The second set is close but in the fifth game Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova breaks Lucie Safarova. It’s the decisive break for the Russian, who wins the set 6-4, the match and ties the final again.
Maria Kirilenko / Elena Vesnina vs. Lucie Hradecka / Kveta Peschke
In the double match which decides the Federation Cup the Russian are the first to break their opponents when Lucie Hradecka is serving in the fifth game. In the eighth game the Czechs break Maria Kirilenko and in the tenth game they break Elena Vesnina as well to win the first set 6-4.
In the second set the Czechs break Elena Vesnina in the fourth game and again in the eighth game to win the set 6-2, conquering the decisive match and also the Federation Cup.
Russia couldn’t win its fifth Federation Cup in a decade despite having Svetlana Kuznetsova in great shape. Perhaps the captain was to select one of his best players for the double match but he preferred to select them in the single matches to defeat Lucie Safarova and it’s easy to criticize his strategy after the defeat.
Czech Republic wins its first Federation Cup after winning it in the past as Czechoslovakia. Petra Kvitova has proved even more that right now she’s the best player in the world and in this final she was helped mainly by double players Lucie Hradecka and Kveta Peschke, who started tense but played better and better during the decisive match. Overall a deserved victory.
