Tennis: US stun Czech to reach Fed Cup final against Belarus

Tallahassee (Florida) April 24 (IANS) The United States stunned the Czech Republic 3-2 to advance to the final of the Fed Cup tennis tournament setting up a match-up with unexpected finalists Belarus.

The US team defeated the Czech the three-time reigning Fed Cup champions in the semi-finals at the Saddlebrook Resort here on Sunday reports Efe.

Belarus upset Switzerland 3-2 in a semi-final tie played in Minsk.

US Fed Cup captain Kathy Rinaldi said: We re just looking forward to it. We re going to be there we re going to be a team we re going to have each other s back and we re going to compete. These girls take great pride in representing the US and it s a special week to be in the final.

CoCo Vandeweghe rolled to a 6-4 6-0 win over Katerina Siniakova in the first rubber on Sunday giving the US a 2-1 lead.

Marketa Vondrousova a 19-year-old playing in her first Fed Cup tie for the Czech Republic knocked off Lauren Davis 6-2 7-5 making the doubles match the decider for a spot in the final.

The duo of Vandeweghe and Bethanie Mattek-Sands came through for the US cruising to a 6-2 6-3 win over Kristyna Pliskova and Katerina Siniakova to book a spot in the final.

It was an amazing day as a team and it shows that every point counts in this event Vandeweghe said. We all came together when it mattered most and that s what you expect out of a Fed Cup tie.

The US has an overall 150-38 record in the Fed Cup which started in 1963 and a 42-8 match record in home ties.

We ve been very fortunate to have two home ties but that s what Fed Cup is all about Rinaldi said referring to the away final.

The Fed Cup final will be played in Belarus on November 11-12.

--IANS
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