Fed Cup Roundup

Russia, Belgium, Spain, France through to quarters

MOSCOW (Reuters) -- Anastasia Myskina clinched Russia's place in the Fed Cup quarterfinals with a 6-2 7-5 win over Croatia's Iva Majoli on Sunday.

The victory gave the host nation an unassailable 3-0 lead over the Croats in their World Group first round tie at Moscow's Druzhba Sports Hall.

There were five consecutive breaks of serve in an erratic opening set, with former French Open champion Majoli unable to hold in three service games.

Myskina, who held serve in the second game, was finally able to hold once again to claim the first set 6-2 in just 25 minutes.

The pattern continued in the second set, but this time it was Myskina who experienced greater problems with her service game. However the Russian No. 1 bounced back to win five of the last six games, sealing the tie in the home side's favor.

"I usually have a strong return game, but I always have trouble with my serve and today was no different," Myskina said. "But, fortunately for me, I was able to hold my serve at the key moments."

Majoli problems

Majoli, who struggled Saturday in her opening singles match against Elena Dementieva, was pleased with her improved performance against Myskina.

"I played a bit better today and my racket was fine," said the 25-year-old from Zagreb, who complained of a loosely-strung racket in Saturday's match.

"But she (Myskina) played well today. I had some chances in the second set and, if I won that set, I could have turned the match around. But she was just too strong today."

In Sunday's second singles match, Karolina Sprem earned Croatia a point by beating Russian substitute Elena Likhovtseva 6-4 6-3 in the dead rubber.

"I was really pumped up for that match," said the 18-year-old Croatian. "Although the overall result didn't mean a thing, it was my first win in Fed Cup and it meant a lot to me."

Likhovtseva replaced Dementieva to give the 21-year-old Muscovite a rest, as she was still suffering jetlag after returning from the United States.

On Saturday, Myskina overcame a concentration lapse midway through her match to defeat Sprem 6-1 3-6 6-0 while Dementieva trounced Majoli 6-1 6-4 to put Russia in command.

In the Fed Cup quarterfinals, the fifth-seeded Russians will take on unseeded Slovenia, which beat Argentina 3-2 in their first round tie, on July 19-20.

Clijsters takes Belgium into last eight

BREE, Belgium (AP) -- World No. 2 Kim Clijsters beat Patricia Wartusch 6-2, 6-2 Sunday to lead Belgium past Austria and into the quarterfinals of the Fed Cup.

Justine Henin-Hardenne, fourth in the world rankings, withdrew from the other singles match of the day because of a bad back but replacement Els Callens still beat Evelyn Fauth 7-6 (0), 6-2.

Callens and Clijsters then teamed up to defeat Yvonne Meusburger and Sybille Bammer 6-2, 6-2.

Clijsters, playing before a sellout hometown crowd of 4,500 at the Expodroom, swept past the Austria's Wartusch, ranked 76th in the world, in just 51 minutes.

It stood in stark contrast with Saturday's performance when she struggled throughout against unheralded Evelyn Fauth, ranked 160 places below her, and had to fight back from a set back to prevail.

"I'm much happier now," Clijsters said after Sunday's win. "I played better and to get the vital third point is very special."

Clijsters had been slowed by a flu bug early in the week and had to play on clay for the first time this season, not her favorite surface.

Clijsters and Henin-Hardenne had already won their singles matches Saturday to put Belgium 2-0 ahead.

Henin-Hardenne, came off a morale boosting win over top-ranked Serena Williams in the final of the Family Circle Cup in Charleston, United States, two weeks ago. She withdrew from the match against Fauth as a precaution and had her back checked. It was unclear to what extent it would affect her schedule over the next weeks.

Clijsters won two events early this season and her Fed Cup performance marked a return to action after a monthlong layoff.

Clijsters and Henin-Hardenne led Belgium to the Fed Cup title two years ago and the Belgians stand the best chance to challenge a U.S. team led by the Williams sisters.

Serna, Martinez clinch Spanish win

TARRAGONA, Spain (AP) -- Conchita Martinez crushed Nicole Pratt 6-0, 6-2 and Magui Serna defeated Alicia Molik 6-4, 6-1 as Spain beat Australia in their Fed Cup World Group first-round tie on Sunday.

The wins gave the Spaniards an unbeatable 3-1 lead in the best-of-five tie and advances them to a quarterfinal clash with France.

A day after shoulder pain caused her to miss a match against Alicia Molik, Martinez showed no signs of distress as she displayed a strong baseline game and rare but accurate drop shots.

Serna, who beat Molik in three sets last Sunday at the Budapest GP, had an easier-than-expected time in this match.

Spain has won the Fed Cup title five times. It lost on home turf to Slovakia in last year's finals.

Mauresmo seals French win over Colombia

PARIS (Reuters) -- Amelie Mauresmo sent France into the Fed Cup quarterfinals against Spain with a 6-4 6-4 victory over Fabiola Zuluaga on Sunday before her teammates completed a 5-0 whitewash over Colombia.

"It is a perfect score, I cannot complain," said a delighted France captain Guy Forget.

Looking ahead to his team's meeting with five-times champion Spain, which was a 3-2 victor over Australia, Forget added: "We will have to be cautious against stronger opponents. We still have to improve."

With France leading 2-0 after the opening day's singles, Mauresmo started off well and raced to a 4-2 lead.

Although Zuluaga fought her way back to level at 4-4, the French No. 1 refused to buckle and broke the Colombian in the final game to take the first set.

In the second, Mauresmo came back from 2-0 down to defeat Zuluaga on her fifth match point.

"It was not easy, it was my first game on clay this year. I was tense at times," said world number seven Mauresmo.

"The encounter with Spain comes two weeks after Wimbledon and I imagine they will host us on slow clay," added the Frenchwoman, who reached the semifinals of the grasscourt grand slam last year.

Forget agreed: "I think the Spaniards will host us on clay. With Amelie (Mauresmo), Nathalie (Dechy), Virginie (Razzano), Emilie (Loit) and maybe Mary (Pierce) if she comes back to her best, we have our chance to make it to the final four."

Dechy tamed Rommy Farah 6-2 6-2 in the second reverse singles.

Farah then teamed up with Carolina Escamilla in the doubles but was beaten 6-1 6-1 by Loit and Razzano.

Hantuchova helps holder Slovakia beat Germany

ETTENHEIM, Germany (Reuters) -- Daniela Hantuchova won two matches within a few hours to help holders Slovakia build a winning 3-1 lead over Germany in their rain-hit Fed Cup first-round tie Sunday.

World number nine Hantuchova, who inspired Slovakia to its triumph over five-times winner Spain with a scintillating display in last year's final, was instrumental again in sending the team through to a quarterfinal clash with Belgium.

Slovakia looked in danger of losing their grip on the title after Anca Barna recovered from a slow start to beat Ludmila Cervanova in the first singles match and Hantuchova trailed Marlene Weingaertner 4-1 in the first set when rain halted play for the day Saturday.

But Hantuchova stepped up a gear on Sunday to pull off a battling 2-6 7-6 7-5 over Weingaertner and level the tie at 1-1.

The 20-year-old was back on court straight away, this time to face Barna, who opened a 6-2 2-1 lead before rain forced another break.

But Hantuchova came from behind again when play resumed to win 2-6 6-3 6-1.

Cervanova then guided the visitors to victory with a crushing 6-2 6-1 win over Weingaertner.

Italians clinch 3-2 win over Swedes

LINKOPING, Sweden (AP) -- Italians Flavia Pennetta and Roberta Vinci beat Sofia Arvidsson and Maria Wolfbrandt 6-2, 6-1 Sunday to clinch a hard-fought 3-2 win over Sweden in their Fed Cup World Group first-round tie.

Italy will face the winner between the United States and the Czech Republic in the quarterfinals. The Americans led 2-0 after Friday's singles on home court at Lowell, Massachusetts.

Fed Cup rookie Hanna Nooni, ranked only 443rd in the world, rallied after being blanked in the first set to upset 80th-ranked Antonella Serra Zanetti 0-6, 6-2, 6-4 in the second reverse singles to level the score at 2-2 and keep the Swedes' hopes alive.

But Swedes Sofia Arvidsson and Maria Wolfbrandt had no chance in the concluding doubles, winning just three games.

Earlier, Pennetta beat Arvidsson 6-0, 6-4 to give Italy a 2-1 lead.

"Overall, I'm satisfied with our performance, nobody expected us to press the Italians so hard," said Swedish captain Joakim Nystrom, a former top 10 player and Grand Slam doubles champion. "On the other hand, it's a big disappointment coming so close."

Sweden was missing its best player, 93rd-ranked Asa Svensson, because of a tendon injury.

Arvidsson was Sweden's top-ranked player in the tie, but she's only No.125 in the world. Serra Zanetti is 80th in the latest rankings and the highest-ranked on her team after captain Corrado Barazutti decided not to field three of Italy's best players.

Italy beat Sweden 5-0 on clay at home last year when five of its highest ranked players were not picked for the tie.

 

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Both the Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.