Heartbreak for GB
Poland edge Fed Cup play-off 2-1…
The AEGON GB Fed Cup team’s bid to clinch promotion from the Europe/Africa Zone Group 1 ended in heartbreak on Saturday when they lost their semi-final play-off with Poland 2-1.
GB and Poland were battling for a World Group II play-off berth this April, and it was the Poles who produced the goods when it mattered.
“I couldn’t have asked them to give any more this week” – Sears
Captain Nigel Sears’ side took an early lead when British No.2 Elena Baltacha put her side ahead by notching up her third singles victory of the week.
Baltacha edged a tight first set against her opposite number Katarzyna Piter before running away with the second and quickly wrapping up a 6-4, 6-1 victory.
Next it was Keothavong up against Polish No.1 and world No.9 Agnieszka Radwanska.
The 25-year-old Londoner put up a brave fight against a much higher ranked opponent, narrowly losing two tie-break sets to go down 7-6(2), 7-6(4).
That meant the tie rested on the doubles and captain Sears put Keothavong and Sarah Borwell forward against the Polish team Klaudia Jans and Alicja Rosolska.
The British duo were looking good when they bagged an early break only for Jans and Rosolska to hit back in game eight when they took Borwell’s serve.
It was a sign of things to come and the Poles edged the first set 7-5, before easing through the second 6-3.
The result means Poland go through to a World Group II play-off in April, while GB will return to the Europe/Africa Zone Group 1 in 2010.
Afterwards Sears said that despite the defeat he was proud of his team’s efforts.
“This time last year we narrowly avoided relegation, this year we came very close to going up so I’m really proud of all the girls’ efforts,” he said. “I really couldn’t have asked them to give any more this week.
“It’s heartbreaking to come so close, the girls played superbly in their singles matches today and we just weren’t quite good enough to win the doubles rubber.”