The US Fed Cup gets snipped then bowls over Switzerland 3-1
The US Fed Cup players were used to playing well in their career, but putting in a good performance on this level can be stressful. Madison Keys might have been going through that as she was stretched into being the singles player in the first rubber. It was difficult finding the recipe for hitting winners for her against the 80th ranked player from Switzerland, Viktorija Golubic. Keys knew all the strategies but her 47 unforced errors interfered in her winning points and games. It was a short while before Switzerland had the first set 6-2 with Golubic and her teammates rejoicing while Keys struggled with her focus and consistency. She drilled the ball to Golubic and it worked for a while but the Swiss was on a roll and won the first rubber 6-2, 6-3. "I feel so great right now...I had much support from my team," she had explained as she smiled broadly and went to watch the second rubber begin.
But it was a different match as the second rubber paired the U.S. player Sloane Stephens with Swiss' Timea Bacsinszky. The 2017 U.S. Open winner Stephens came to the U.S. Fed Cup team's defence to try and gather a victory. There was a series of slips and falls as Stephens did take a tumble on the carpeted surface, but held up her hands to indicate she was alright. She went about her way unwinding her true talents on Bacsinszky. Both were slicing and spinning the ball trying to break the others' determination and tactics. The Swiss brought her years of Fed Cup to play to the table against Stephens but it was the U.S. lady who came up with the winning volleys and points at the slugfest.
At the opening Stephens trailed 1-3, but soon got her level of a fight on and quickly turned around the match with Bacsinszky's unforced errors helping the U.S. to win 6-4. The Swiss became nervous and by rights they should have for Stephens warmed up more putting on a great performance of overhead smashed and down-the-lines to win the second set 6-3. The scores were levelled at 1-all in rubbers won and Captain Kathy Rinaldi smartly paired Stephens with Viktorija Golubic for the third rubber. This was the first time that the two have ever met in their career and it didn't make a difference. Stephens was left over from the last match and kept her fighting. She aggressively won points over Golubic with the change-ups hurting the Swiss' rhythm. It was a win for the U.S. as Stephens won in straight sets 6-3, 6-2. "It's nice to have the whole team with me...I'm super happy to be with this team," Stephens had said with a big grin.
The U.S. were nearly there as they were leading Switzerland 2-1. The Swiss team looked on nervously compared to the US team who had smiles of hopefully playing their last rubber in victory. Sofia Kenin was brought for the fourth rubber. She won earlier in the season her maiden singles title at the ASB Classic at Auckland and a doubles title with Eugenie Bouchard. She played fierce, blasting forehands and cross courting Timea Bacsinszky. The Swiss had her hands full with Kenin who lead 2-0. She kept up well with the Swiss and before long the sun-visored Fed young woman created a spicy mix of gameplay chipping and slicing balls helping the US team to win the first set 6-3.
The second set was the ice breaker as both raised their level ad Bacsinszky went up 3-0 trying to win for her Swiss. Disappointment appeared on the US ladies faces but Kenin elevated her play, stayed in the zone and moved the match into a tiebreak where she lead soon 6-1. She needed one more point to win for the US and accomplished it expertly as all her teammates ran to her midcourt. They lifted Kenin off her feet overpowering her with love and hugs on a gracious win. "I'm like speechless, it's my first win in Fed Cup," Kenin smilingly said. She remembered all too well last year she sat crying because she couldn't win for her team, now she's the princess of the ball. Rinaldi hugged Kenin, a trooper that she knew since the age of 7. She was glad the match ended with a victory complimenting her captain saying "I have so much joy and Kathy I love you." Rinaldi gave kudos to the team saying "These women are incredible role models...dreams come true." Kenin was overjoyed to have helped in the US clinching the tie. "Luckily I closed it out...there was no way I would lose this set," she beamed and hugged Kathy Rinaldi as the ending of the US Fed Cup for new was a victory.
from Tennis World USA http://bit.ly/2Xv2wjV
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