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Conchita Martinez
and Virginia Ruano Pascual’s victory in the fifth and decisive rubber
over Austria’s Barbara Schett and Patricia Wartusch, 46 63 61, earned
Spain a place in the 2002 Gran Canaria Fed Cup Final.
Spain will face the winner of the Italy/Slovak Republic Semifinal to be
played this evening. Martinez has not lost a Fed Cup doubles since 1990
and is now 20-5 in doubles in the competition.
Spain, with five Fed Cup titles to their credit, had held a seemingly
insurmountable 2-0 lead at the start of the day but the tide had turned.
Martinez was defeated by Schett in today’s opener and then the former
world No. 1 Arantxa Sanchez Vicario was upset by the No. 82 ranked
Wartusch, which levelled the tie at 2 matches all. A win by Austria
would have put them into the Fed Cup Final for the first time while
Spain was hoping to reach its tenth Final.
The Spanish pair started well, breaking Wartusch - who had not long
completed her 97 third set win over Sanchez-Vicario - in the fourth game
of the first set to take a 3-1 lead. Martinez then Schett held serve for
4-2. On Ruano Pascual’s next serve, the Austrians challenged, finally
breaking the Spanish with a Schett backhand down the line past Martinez.
Wartusch served again at 3-4 and this time, with Schett at her side,
made her presence felt at the net to hold serve and level the match at 4
games all.
The Spanish won a stunning point to give Martinez 15-0 on her serve at
the start of the next game but then quickly got behind their opponents.
The Austrian pair showed little sign of fatigue at this point despite
the two long matches they had played earlier in the day. The Spanish
saved four break point opportunities but it was clear that the Austrians
were targeting Martinez, hitting ball after ball to her and virtually
ignoring her partner.
Ruano Pascual tried to cross to relieve the beleaguered Martinez but
netted the ball, giving Austria a fifth break point chance. This time
they were successful, as a Wartusch return passed Ruano Pascual at the
net to give Austria a 5-4 lead. Schett served it out to take the opening
set 6-4.
The second set went with serve: Martinez, then Schett, then Ruano
Pascual. Finally showing a letdown, Wartusch was broken at love to put
Spain ahead 3-1. Martinez held serve for 4-1 and the momentum seemed to
have turned Spain’s way again.
During the changeover, Wartusch had an injury timeout and treatment from
the Austrian trainer on her lower back as Schett looked on with concern.
There was a relaxed, confident air on the Spanish bench, meanwhile, as
if they had forgotten that they were still a set down at this point in
the match.
Both Schett and Ruano Pascual held serve so it was up to Wartusch to
save the set for Austria at 2-5. A lob over Wartusch’s head gave Spain
the first point of the game, then the Austrian put a backhand over the
baseline for 0-30. A Martinez backhand winner gave Spain three set
points but Martinez and Ruano Pascual squandered all three opportunities
and Austria finally prevailed.
Serving at 5-3, Martinez wasted the fourth set point of this set at
40-15 but, at 40-30, a Schett forehand went wide to level the match at
one set all. The whole tie, and a place in the final, now rested on the
final set.
In the opening game of the third set, Schett faced three break points on
her serve, saving two before Wartusch netted a Martinez return to give
Spain a 1-0 lead in the match. Martinez held serve for 2-0 but was
challenged throughout the game by the Austrians. The vulnerable Wartusch
was broken again to give Spain a 3-0 lead.
With two breaks of serve, the situation for Austria looked dire. The
Spanish camp began to sense victory as Ruano Pascual held serve for 4-0.
The Austrians continued to fight as Schett held serve for 4-1 but it
seemed now that they would need a miracle.
Martinez held serve for 5-1 and now Wartusch needed to do the same if
Austria was to have any chance of victory. Wartusch, who had fought so
hard to defeat Sanchez-Vicario only a few hours ago, now found herself
with three match points against her. The first was saved when a Martinez
return of serve hit the net but, on the next point, Wartusch herself
made the error and it was game, set and match for Spain.
Austria had come so close to producing one of the greatest comebacks in
Fed Cup history, but at the end of an enthralling tie it was Spain that
had secured a place in the 2002 Gran Canaria Fed Cup Finals.
"Of course, I'm proud of our team," said Schett afterwards. "We came
very close to the final. The semifinals were great and the atmosphere,
especially on our team, was great. I am leaving here with a very
positive spirit." |
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
Gallery 1
Gallery 2
Articles
Record Breaker Sanchez-Vicario hands Spain 2-0 Cushion
Fed
Cup Venue Has No Atmosphere, Says Schett
Schett gives
Austria a lifeline
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