Sharapova-less Russia Tied with France in Fed Cup Final

Prior to her opening-round match in the Fed Cup final Saturday, Svetlana Kuznetsova said her loss to Nathalie Dechy in their lone meeting last January was an anomaly, since it was before she became US OPEN WINNER SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA.

But whatever transformation winning a slam portends did not come into play yesterday when Kuznetsova choked away the lead in 3-6, 7-6(4), 8-6 loss to Dechy in front of a partisan Moscow crowd.

After securing the first set, the solidly-built Russian failed to serve the match out at 5-4 in the second, then in the third dropped her serve at love at 6-6 when the final wheel came off.

"After losing her game at 5-4 she became nervous and I was able to turn the match around," Dechy said. "She has so many weapons and she hits the ball very hard, so I knew I wouldn't have many chances today."

Kuznetsova, coming off two easy 6-1, 6-1 wins in the semifinals against Austria, seemed unable to mentally take control of the match and finish points against an opponent that made few unforced errors, tossing out 77 unforced of her own.

"I knew it was my match to win or lose as I was dictating all the points, but unfortunately I made too many mistakes," said Kuznetsova, going to the she-didn't-win-I-lost card. "I was too nervous today but I wasn't tired or anything like that."

Dechy, reportedly, was happy to hear that Kuznetsova didn't lose because she was out of shape, but rather that she choked.

The 25-year-old Dechy reached one final in 2004, losing to Russian Elena "Lena" Bovina at New Haven, and beat Kuznetsova in her first tournament of the year at Gold Coast, Australia.

Anastasia Myskina saved the tie for Russia in the second singles, edging French teen Tatiana "Hot Pants" Golovin 6-4, 7-6(5) to even things at 1-1 entering the final day.

"I was nervous at first because I haven't played her before and didn't know her strong and weak points," said Myskina, who fell behind 0-3 in the first set, and saved a set point in the second-set tiebreak.

On Sunday Myskina faces Dechy in the first singles, with Kuznetsova versus Golovin in the second, then the scheduled doubles of Russians Elena Likhovtseva/Vera "The Crying Game" Zvonareva vs. France's Marion "Roly Poly" Bartoli and Emilie Loit.

"We know the Russians are big favorites and they have everything going to them," Dechy said, "but now we only need two more points for victory."