Sania Mirza and veteran Rushmi
Charavarthy registered contrasting singles victories as India
blanked Kyrgyzstan 3-0 in the play-off tie to win back their
place in the Asia/Oceania Group I of the Fed Cup tennis.
|Last Updated: Feb 06, 2010, 05:07 PM IST|Source: Bureau
Kuala Lumpur: Sania Mirza and veteran Rushmi
Charavarthy registered contrasting singles victories as India
blanked Kyrgyzstan 3-0 in the play-off tie to win back their
place in the Asia/Oceania Group I of the Fed Cup tennis
tournament here today.
India were relegated to Group II of the zonal competition
last year after losing the play-off tie to Chinese Taipei.
With talented Poojashree Venkatesha suffering a knee
injury ahead of the tie, Rushmi played the first singles
against Bermet Duvanaeva.
The Indian faced stiff competition from Bermet before
prevailing 6-4, 1-6, 6-3, to give India the lead.
The second singles was a cake walk for Sania, who cruised
to a 6-0, 6-2 win over Ksenia Palkina and clinched the only
slot for promotion for her side.
Rushmi and Sanaa Bhambri were leading 6-0, 1-0 when the
the rival doubles pair of Bermet and Nelli Buyuklianova
conceded the inconsequential rubber.
Last year India had not won a single match and this year
the order reversed.
Coach Enrico Piperno was expectedly satisfied with the
team`s performance but said a stern test lies ahead. "I am happy with the way we played. We achieved what we
wanted to, the mission is accomplished. It was not that it was
too easy. The other teams were competitive, there were no
novice," Piperno told .
"Group I would be tough. There are teams like Kazakhstan
who now have some good players in their ranks," Piperno added.
Piperno said Sania`s presence helped the other members of
the team.
"Sania has been a great help. She is a good support and
her presence made a difference."
Talking about the young Poojashree who won both the
matches on her debut, Piperno said she is talented but her
real test would come next season.
"She still has a long way to go. This (Group II) was no
test for her. We can judge her only next year when she plays
tougher teams in Group I. Only then we can say if she is the
next second singles player for India or not," he said.
"Overall I am happy, the team was disciplined and played
like a unit."
Piperno also said that he would request the All India
Tennis Association to host the Fed Cup next year.
PTI
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