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Sharapova puts Russia ahead in Fed Cup Back To Main

MOSCOW: Maria Sharapova put Russia 1-0 up over Spain in their Fed Cup World Group first round tie here on Saturday by defeating Silvia Soler-Espinosa 6-2, 6-1.

Playing for the first time since losing in straight sets to Viktoria Azarenka in the final of the Australian Open, Sharapova opened with a break but then handed that back in the following game.

But the Russian then ran off four games in a row to stamp her authority on the game, taking the first set in 52 minutes.

In the second set Soler-Espinosa, ranked 77th in the world, ran out of gas, allowing Sharapova to grab three more breaks and win comfortably.

“I was a bit nervous before the beginning of the match as I failed to show my best tennis in my previous Fed Cup appearance in Moscow,” Sharapova said.

“It was very important to stay concentrated, to believe and prove that my tennis is better and to win the match. Luckily, I managed to do all that and now I’m really satisfied with my performance.”

The clash between Russia’s Svetlana Kuznetsova and Carla Suarez Navarro of Spain will complete Saturday’s match schedule.

Meanwhile in Stuttgart, Germany lost their opening Fed Cup rubber against defending champions the Czech Republic on Saturday when German captain Sabine Lisicki was beaten 2-6, 6-4, 6-2 by Iveta Benesova.

Wimbledon semifinalist Lisicki, ranked 14th in the world, failed to cope with Benesova, ranked 49th, to put the guests ahead in the World Group tie in Stuttgart.

In the next game on Saturday afternoon, Germany’s Julia Goerges takes on world number two and the reigning Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova.

In Miki, Japanese number one Ayumi Morita overcame a slow start to beat Nastja Kolar and give Japan a 2-0 lead over Slovenia in the Fed Cup tennis World Group II first round tie on Saturday.

The 21-year-old ace, who received the Fed Cup Heart Award last year, stormed back from a set down to score a 2-6, 6-4, 6-3 win over the 245th-ranked Slovenian Fed Cup debutant.

Earlier in the day, former world number four Kimiko Date-Krumm pulled off a similar scoreline to beat Slovenia’s top player Polona Hercog 2-6, 6-4, 6-2 to put Japan one up.

Sunday will see two reverse singles, followed by a doubles match with Morita and Rika Fujiwara, who will play Hercog and Andreja Klepac. The winners of the tie will reach a play-off against the first-round losers of the World Group.