Austria is still in with a chance of making the final of the 2002 Fed Cup after their No.1 Barbara Schett defeated Spain’s Conchita Martinez 75 67(3) 62, in the first of the reverse singles matches in the Gran Canaria Fed Cup Semifinal between Austria and Spain in Maspalomas.

In a must-win match for the Austrians, Schett outlasted Martinez in the battle of the number ones to earn her country’s first point in this semifinal tie. With Spain still leading 2-1 the pressure is now on the Austrian No. 2 Patricia Wartusch, who faces Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario in the second of the reverse singles matches. Victory to Sanchez-Vicario will see Spain qualify for their tenth Fed Cup final.

“If I could have been a little bit more patient yesterday maybe I could have won my match, but I am happy to win today,” a relieved Schett said afterwards. “It is one step forward today and now we will see how the other match goes.”

With Prince Felipe of Spain watching from the stands both players started the match at a cracking pace, each player taking it in turns to run their opponent ragged from the back of the court.

First opportunity to break came in the fifth game, when a series of errors saw the 26-year-old Schett down three break points on serve and Martinez broke for 3-2 lead. The Austrian, ranked 40 in singles, bounced back and earned two break back points in the next game, a Martinez error putting the match back on an equal footing 3-3.

Schett consolidated the break by holding serve to edge ahead 4-3, Martinez urging the predominantly Spanish crowd to pump up the volume. They gladly responded and when the 30-year-old Spaniard was forced to serve to stay in the set, she proved equal to the challenge, coming back from 0-30 to level again at 5-5.

With Martinez currently ranked 35 and the head-to-head for these two players split at two wins apiece, there is little between them on paper. So it was in this match, Schett breaking Martinez in the 12th game to clinch the first set 7-5.

The break to secure the first set set off a string of service breaks with neither player able to hold serve until the fourth game of the second set when Martinez grabbed the advantage to lead 3-1. Schett immediately broke back and held serve to level at 3-3 before two more breaks of serve. With Schett now leading 5-4, both players spoke animatedly with their captains at the change of ends. In a replay of the first set Martinez again served to stay in the set, and the match, and the Spaniard finally managed to hold to level things up again at 5-5.

Schett battled to hold serve in the next game but managed to sneak ahead 6-5, again forcing Martinez to hold serve to stay in the match. Having successfully forced a tiebreak, the Spanish No. 1 raced to a 4-0 lead, taking the set after almost an hour to send the match into a third set.

With both players visibly tiring after two hours on court, Schett broke to go up 3-2 in the final set, held to love then broke her opponent again to ram home the advantage, finally clinching the set 6-2 to keep Austria in the semifinal.

“I was very patient and took my chances at the right time,” Schett said. “I played a lot of drop shots and played over her backhand a lot – that was my tactic before the match and it worked well, and in the end I think she was a little tired.”

For her part, Martinez said that Schett was just too good on the important points.

Singles
1M lost Arantxa Sanchez Vicario 3-6 6-7
2M beat Conchita Martinez 7-5 6-7 6-2

Doubles with Wartusch
3M lost Martinez/Ruano-Pascual 6-4 3-6 1-6
Austria lost 2-3

Photos

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