By Chris Oddo | Sunday, April 19, 2015
Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova and Elina Vesnina elevated Russia to its 7th Fed Cup final in 12 years with a clutch doubles victory in Sochi.
Photo Source: AFP
Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova and Elina Vesnina guided the Russian Fed Cup team to its seventh final since 2004 with a 6-2, 6-3 triumph that denied the Germans a Sunday sweep.
Germany produced a valiant effort in levelling the tie, but could finish the improbable comeback.
After resting Andrea Petkovic and Angelique Kerber on Saturday, German Captain Barbara Rittner inserted the stars and each responded with resounding victories.
Petkovic hammered Svetlana Kuznetsova, 6-2, 6-1 in the third rubber, then Kerber slashed her way past Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, 6-1, 6-0 to set the tie at even.
But Petkovic, paired with Sabine Lisicki for the doubles, couldn’t stop the Russian victory parade from happening in the deciding doubles rubber.
As the Russian team celebrated and waved its flag in Adler Arena and Sochi, a despondent Andrea Petkovic burst into tears. Perhaps she was feeling that she could have done more in the doubles clash, or maybe she wondered what might have been if only she and Kerber had been able to play on Saturday.
Germany, who was Fed Cup runner-up last season, falls to 1-4 all-time against Russia. The Germans have not won the Fed Cup since 1992.
Russia will bid for its 5th Fed Cup title against the Czechs on the road this November. After winning four titles in five years from 2004 to 2008, the Russians have only managed two runner-up performances.
The Czechs and Russians last met in the 2011 final which was won by a Petra Kvitova-led Czech team in a tie that featured a deciding fifth doubles rubber.
The Czechs hold the all-time advantage over Russia in Fed Cup play at 3-2.