By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Friday February 7, 2020
Spain jumped out to a 2-0 lead over Japan behind the work of Sara Sorribes Tormo and Carla Suarez Navarro.
Photo Source: Gonzalo Arroyo Moreno/Getty Images
Fed Cup World Group action is underway this weekend, with 16 nations competing to make the 12-team final in Budapest, to be held in the third week of April. Spain is off to a flier, taking a 2-0 lead over Japan as Sara Sorribes Tormo dropped just three games in her takedown of Naomi Osaka in Cartagena.
Other Highlights:
Kiki Bertens and Aryna Sabalenka took care of business to set up a big match on Saturday in the Hague.
Ana Bogdan notched a big win to bring Romania and Russia level.
Elise Mertens managed a big comeback to level Belgium with Kazakhstan.
Switzerland swept through a Bianca Andreescu-less Canada to take a 2-0 lead into Saturday in Biel.
Slovakia took a 2-0 lead over Great Britain as Anna Karolina Schmiedlova and Viktoria Kuzmova held court in Bratislava.
A brief breakdown of the new Fed Cup format:
This weekend 16 nations will compete for eight spots in April’s 12-team Fed Cup Finals in Budapest, Hungary. The eight winners of this weekend’s qualifier ties will join four teams—Australia, France, Hungary and Czech Republic—in the final at Budapest.
At the Final in Budapest, the 12 teams will be divided into four groups with the winner of each group qualifying for the semis.
Australia and France qualified for the final as last year’s Fed Cup finaliasts, while Hungary qualifies as host nation and the Czech Republic receives the wild card.
For more info on the new Fed Cup format click through here
Here are the matchups that are taking place across three continents this weekend:
USA v Latvia: Not Yet Underway
The Americans will send out Sofia Kenin and Serena Williams (13-0 in Fed Cup singles) to deal with Anastasija Sevastova and Jelena Ostapenko. It will be interesting to see how Kenin and Williams perform after their very different Australian Open experiences, against a talented Latvian team.
Netherlands v Belarus: Tied 1-1
Kiki Bertens made her first appearance at Fed Cup since 2017 and defeated Aliaksandra Sasnovich. Aryna Sabalenka countered with a win over Arantxa Rus to set up a splendid Saturday in the Hague.
Romania v Russia: Tied 1-1
Without Simona Halep in the mix Ana Bogdan stepped in admirably as the Romanian No.1. She defeated Veronika Kudermetova in three sets to level up Romania and Russia at 1-1. “I think this is the game I enjoyed most in my life. It’s a day I’ll never forget,” an elated Bogdan told FedCup.com after the mach.
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Brazil v Germany: Germany Leads 2-0
Friday proved to be too tall of an order for Brazil, even on its favored red clay of Florianopolis and in Gustavo Kuerten's hometown, with no singles players inside the Top 200. Laura Siegemund defeated Teliana Pereira and Tatjana Maria defeated Gabriela Ce in straight sets to give Germany the commanding lead.
Spain v Japan: Spain Leads 2-0
Naomi Osaka was no match for Spain's Sara Sorribes Tormo on the red clay in Cartagena, Spain, and it will be interesting to see her face Carla Suarez Navarro on Day 2 of this tie (if it happens). Suarez Navaroo finished off the Day 1 sweep for Spain with a 6-3 6-4 win over Misaki Doi.
Switzerland v Canada: Switzerland Leads 2-0
No Bianca Andreescu in Biel, Switzerland, means that Canada went into underdog mode with the talented 17-year-old Leylah Annie Fernandez and Gabriela Dabrowski swinging into singles duty. Belinda Bencic and Jill Teichmann will held it down for the Swiss, lifting their nation to a 2-0 lead on Day 1.
Belgium v Kazakhstan: Tied 1-1
Elise Mertens' spirited fightback over Zarina Diyas lifted Belgium to a 1-0 lead on Day 1 with Kazakhstan, but Yulia Putintseva battled past Ysaline Bonaventure in three to level the two nations at the end of play .
Slovakia v Great Britain: Slovakia Leads 2-0
Life without the warrior Dominika Cibulkova has proven to be manageable for Team Slovakia. They got wins from Viktoria Kuzmova and Anna Karolina Schmiedlova against Heather Watson and Harriet Dart in Bratislova.