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Zvonareva succumbs to Mauresmo to give France a winning start
Moscow, Nov 20: Russia and France have tied 1-1 on the first day of their Fed Cup tennis semi-finals.
Moscow, Nov 20: Russia and France have tied 1-1 on the first day of their Fed Cup tennis semi-finals.
Amelie Mauresmo overwhelmed Vera Zvonareva 6-2 6-2 to give France a 1-0 lead over Russia in their Fed Cup semi-final on Wednesday. The 24-year-old Frenchwomen took charge from the start, breaking her less experienced opponent in the first game of the match. Playing only her second Fed Cup match, the 19-year-old Zvonareva briefly rallied to level at 2-2 but Mauresmo's consistency from the baseline paid off. The Frenchwoman won the next four games to take the first set. The second set followed exactly the same pattern, with the world number four claiming the last four games from 2-2 to close clinch victory in 60 minutes.
In the second match Mary Pierce dominated the first set 4-6 as an unsettled Russian number one Anastasia Myskina took time to settle.
In the second set Pierce had a chance to win the match after Myskina disputed an umpire line call and the Russia faced a matchpoint. But the French woman twice failed in her attack and Myskina turned the tide to take it to a tie-break which she won 7-2.
A tired Pierce fought back in the third set and they levelled the games at 5-5 until Myskina pressed her advantage and won 7-5 to the delight of the home crowd in general, and former Russian president Boris Yeltsin in particular.
Russia and France were tied at 1-1 in their Fed Cup semi-final on Wednesday.
Results (Russian names first): Anastasia Myskina beat Mary Pierce 4-6 7-6 (7-2) 7-5 Vera Zvonareva lost to Amelie Mauresmo 2-6 2-6
Bureau Report
Amelie Mauresmo overwhelmed Vera Zvonareva 6-2 6-2 to give France a 1-0 lead over Russia in their Fed Cup semi-final on Wednesday. The 24-year-old Frenchwomen took charge from the start, breaking her less experienced opponent in the first game of the match. Playing only her second Fed Cup match, the 19-year-old Zvonareva briefly rallied to level at 2-2 but Mauresmo's consistency from the baseline paid off. The Frenchwoman won the next four games to take the first set. The second set followed exactly the same pattern, with the world number four claiming the last four games from 2-2 to close clinch victory in 60 minutes.
In the second match Mary Pierce dominated the first set 4-6 as an unsettled Russian number one Anastasia Myskina took time to settle.
In the second set Pierce had a chance to win the match after Myskina disputed an umpire line call and the Russia faced a matchpoint. But the French woman twice failed in her attack and Myskina turned the tide to take it to a tie-break which she won 7-2.
A tired Pierce fought back in the third set and they levelled the games at 5-5 until Myskina pressed her advantage and won 7-5 to the delight of the home crowd in general, and former Russian president Boris Yeltsin in particular.
Russia and France were tied at 1-1 in their Fed Cup semi-final on Wednesday.
Results (Russian names first): Anastasia Myskina beat Mary Pierce 4-6 7-6 (7-2) 7-5 Vera Zvonareva lost to Amelie Mauresmo 2-6 2-6
Bureau Report