[ad name=”AmazonTennis468″]

This weekend the Federation Cup final between Czech Republic and Serbia was played.

Czech Republic reached the final defeating Germany 4-1 in the first round and Italy 4-1 in the semifinals. It’s the Federation Cup defending champion.

Serbia reached the final beating defeating Belgium 3-2 in the first round and Russia 3-2 in the semifinals. It’s at its first Federation Cup final.

Lucie Safarova – Ana Ivanovic

The match is marked by tension from the beginning. Both Ana Ivanovic and Lucie Safarova are emotional players and struggle to win their service game in the first two games. In the third game the Czech breaks the Serb but loses her service in the next game. In the seventh game Safarova breaks Ivanovic again and this is the decisive break for her to win the set 6-4.

In the second set, Lucie Safarova breaks Ana Ivanovic in the first game. In the second game the Czech faces two break points but wins her service game. The Serb seems more and more nervous while the Czech seems to have found a little confidence. In the seventh game, Safarova has four break points but Ivanovic manages to win her service game. In the next game he Serb is the one who has three break points that could change the set but the Czech wins her service game and then win the set 6-3, conquering the match and the first point for Czech Republic.

Petra Kvitova – Jelena Jankovic

This match is more technical and less moody than the previous one and Jelena Jankovic is the first to take the lead breaking Petra Kvitova in the seventh game. The Czech, however, apparently cured the bronchitis that forced her to withdraw from the WTA Championships last week and reacts stepping up. Kvitova breaks Jankovic in the eighth and the tenth game to win the set 6-4.

In the second set, Petra Kvitova really looks like the great player who finished 2011 in triumph. Thus the Czech continuues her extraordinary run breaking Jelena Jankovic in the second and fourth game. The Serb wins her service game in the sixth game just to avoid a bagel but Kvitova wins the set 6-1 conquering the match and bringing the Czech Republic on 2-0.

Petra Kvitova – Ana Ivanovic

Ana Ivanovic starts the match very well while Petra Kvitova has a slower start and in the fifth game she loses her service game. The Czech tries to fight back but the Serb plays much better than yesterday and again in the ninth game breaks her opponent at the seventh set point to win the set 6-3.

In the second set Petra Kvitova serves more slowly and in the second game offers three break points to Ana Ivanovic but manages to win her service game. The Czech, however, seems out of energy and in the fourth game loses her service. The Serb seems to be heading towards an easy win, serves for the match but loses for the first time her service. In the twelfth game, however, Ivanovic  breaks Kvitova again to win the set 7-5, conquering the match and bringing the situation in the final 2-1 for Czech Republic.

Lucie Safarova – Jelena Jankovic

Lucie Safarova starts very well playing better than yesterday and breaks Jelena Jankovic in the first and third game. The Serb has a break point in the fourth game but the Czech wins her service game and in the next game she has a break point but Jankovic wins her first game. Safarova dominates and wins the first set 6-1.

In the second set Lucie Safarova breaks Jelena Jankovic in the fourth and in the sixth game. The Serb, who had a massage to her lumbar region between the first and second set, can’t keep the pace of the Czech, who’s playing fantastic tennis instead. Safarova again closes the set 6-1, conquering the match and the decisive point to win the Federation Cup.

Serbia has made quite an achievement to reach its first the Federation Cup final but this weekend the players haven’t done enough to win. Ana Ivanovic played pretty bad her first match and Jelena Jankovic wasn’t good enough in either of her two matches, also for some physical problems. If the two players will be able to play well in the coming years they’ll still have other opportunities in Federation Cup.

Czech Republic is still the strongest team. Petra Kvitova wasn’t at her best and had energy for one match ony but at least she ends well an year that for her is overall disappointing. Last year, Lucie Safarova lost her two singles matches in the final, instead this weekend she won them both, especially today with so much pressure on her. This result shows the strength of a team that has various players who can be the protagonists of a triumph.