The 2014 Fed Cup season concluded Sunday, save for the final, and it turned out to be a rather ho-hum weekend, at least as far as Fed Cup weekends generally go. Just two of the ten ties made it to a live 5th rubber and 5 of them were 3-0 sweeps. But an intriguing final matchup was set, a long underperforming nation finally made the World Group II, and a should-be powerhouse was dumped into zonal competition for next year. Here's my recap of the weekend.
World Group Semifinals
CZE 4 ITA 0 - Of all the players coming into this tie in bad form, it was Kvitova who rose to the occasion, winning 2 singles rubbers. Three different Italians were put up in singles, but none won a set. Their one in form player Giorgi was undermatched against Kvitova on day 1. Safarova helped by soundly beating Errani to open the tie. The Czechs will go for their 3rd title in 4 years.
GER 3 AUS 1 - As we feared, the Aussies didn't really show up for this one, at least until the second day. Petkovic upset Stosur in straight sets and then Dellacqua could manage a single game against Kerber. The German #1 returned the next day to come from a set down to beat Stosur with a 2nd set bagel, her second of the weekend. The Germans are through to their first final since 1992, when the event had a different format.
2014 Fed Cup Final: Germany at Czech Republic
World Group I Playoffs
RUS 4 ARG 0 - Russia finally got some of their top players to participate and the result was expected, a romp over Argentina. Makarova and Vesnina didn't drop a set against Ormaechea and Irigoyen, with Makarova getting the two wins. Vesnina even went back out to help Solovyeva win the dead doubles rubber.
CAN 3 SVK 1 - This turned out to be quite closer then the 3-0 score after 3 rubbers would lead you to believe. Wozniak and Bouchard were both extended to 3 sets by Cepelova and Kucova, the former had to save a match point. Bouchard then beat Cepelova in a tight 2 setter to clinch the tie.
FRA 3 USA 2 - The Americans were given life in this tie when Cornet suffered from cramps while leading against Keys in the 2nd rubber after Garcia had destroyed Stephens. Keys came through the leave the tie tied after day 1. Stephens beat sub Razzano and the Americans were suddenly up 2-1. But Garcia almost singlehandedly won the tie for the French, sending down Keys in straights and then immediately teaming with Razzano to beat Stephens/Keys in the live doubles. Garcia is now riding a 7-match win streak.
POL 3 ESP 2 - If the last mentioned was about Garcia, this one was about Radwanska the elder. She won her 2 singles rubber with the loss of 9 total games, then teamed up with Rosolska to beat Medina Garrigues/Soler Esponisa, allowing the Poles to work around two singles losses by Radwanska the younger against Torro-Flor and Soler Espinosa.
World Group II Playoffs
ROU 4 SRB 1 - The tie got off to a bad start, who lost the one match they absolutely HAD to have when a slumping Cirstea beat Ivanovic. Halep put the hosts up 2-0 and things looked over. Ivanovic did upset Halep to keep the tie alive, but that only set up Cirstea's clinching win over Jovanovski, 6-3 in the 3rd.
NED 3 JPN 2 - Perhaps the most competitive tie of the weekend, though it didn't even go live to the 5th rubber. Nara gave the visitors a good start with a win over Rus, but that was cancelled by Bertens beating Doi. Likely the rubber of the weekend went to Bertens, 9-7 in the 3rd and the Dutch were in the lead. Rus then beat Doi to seal the deal.
SWE 4 THA 0 - Arvidsson and Larsson beat up on Kumkhum and Lertcheewakarn without losing a set, Larsson winning 2 live rubbers.
SUI 4 BRA 1 - This didn't turn out be the Bencic show as we thought it might but instead Bacsinszky stole the spotlight. She upset Pereira on day 1 as Bencic dismissed Goncalves to put the visitors up 2-0. But Bencic couldn't close a sweep as Pereira beat her in straight sets. However, Bacsinszky bailed her out by clinching over Goncalves, and then Bencic got the bad taste out of her mouth by winning the dead doubles.
2015 World Groups:
Group I: Australia, Canada, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Russia
-Stayed in group by advancing in the quarterfinals: AUS, CZE, GER, ITA
-Stayed in group by winning playoffs: RUS
-Promoted from World Group II (last appearance in Group I): CAN (1994), FRA (2011), POL (1994)
Group II: Argentina, Netherlands, Romania, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United States
-Stayed in group by losing Group I playoffs: ARG
-Stayed in group by winning Group II playoffs: SWE, SUI
-Relegated from World Group I (last appearance in Group II): ESP (2013), SVK (2012), USA (2012)
-Promoted from zones (last appearance in Group II): NED (1999), ROU (1992)
Europe/Africa Zonal Group II
Pool A: FIN, LIE, LTU, MNE
Liechtenstein behind Vogt and a surprising Finnish team advanced from the pool as Montenegro played without Kovinic.
Pool B: BIH, EGY, GEO, RSA
Georgia got excellent play from Shapatava while South Africa poor play from Simmonds and Bosnia beat them.
Promotion ties: LIE def. BIH, GEO def. FIN
-Georgia returns to Group I after a one year absence while Liechtenstein advances to Group I for the first time ever.
Relegation ties: RSA def. MNE, EGY def. LTU
-Lithuania spent 2 years in Group II and now they return to Group III. Montenegro last played there in 2011.
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