Russia, France Set Final Fed Cup Meeting Saturday

Posted on November 26, 2004

Russia and France swept to 5-0 wins Thursday at the Fed Cup semifinals in Moscow, setting up a meeting for the title in the Saturday-Sunday final.

Russia's Anastasia Myskina recovered from a rocky start to clinch the tie for Russia, defeating No. 173-ranked Austrian Yvonne Meusburger 3-6, 6-3, 6-1.

"She surprised me by playing a very slow, patient game," said Myskina, who kept her opponent in the match with numerous unforced errors. "Finally, I was able to wake up in the second set."

Svetlana Kuznetsova recorded another 6-1, 6-1 win for Russia over the No. 362-ranked Daniela "The Cereal Killer" Kix, while Kuznetsova and Elena Likhovtseva beat Meusburger and Patricia Wartusch 6-2, 6-2 in the doubles.

On the French side Nathalie Dechy clinched with a 6-3, 6-1 win over Anabel "Funky Cold" Medina Garrigues. Sixteen-year-old Tatiana Golovin also remained perfect with a 6-3, 6-4 victory over Marta Marrero, and in the doubles Marion Bartoli and Emilie Loit handled Marrero and Virginia Ruano Pascual 7-5, 6-2.

"We didn't have to spend a lot of time on the court by winning all the matches in two sets," Dechy said. "Now we have to get ready for the final. (Russia) should be clear favorites as they have everything going for them this time. They have their best players, the home court, the fans, but we'll be highly motivated to beat them."

Last year the French upset the Russians in the semifinals, but that was with current world No. 2 Amelie Mauresmo, who this year decided to sit out the semifinals and final.

TENNIS-X NEWS, NOTES, QUOTES AND BARBS
Russian Davis Cup captain Shamil Tarpishchev on the problems between the Russian Fed Cup team and Maria Sharapova's dad: "(Yuri) Sharapova has a strange, quickly-changing nervous system. It often leads to stressful situations. I must say that parents often interfere with the team's process. It gives us an extra headache but they are not the ones who decide the make-up of the team. I feel that things will calm down soon and we'll have (Anastasia) Myskina, Sharapova, (Svetlana) Kuznetsova and everyone else playing for Russia. In my 30 years as team captain I've seen a lot worse situations and we've managed to survive all of them."