Fed Cup: Ashleigh Barty leads Australia to win over US
Australia’s Fed Cup fortunes will be decided by a coin toss despite a stunning win which sealed a semi-final spot.
Australia have defeated the US in the Fed Cup with Ashleigh Barty and Priscilla Hon combining for a tense doubles victory to seal the world group tie in Asheville, North Carolina.
Barty and Hon beat Nicole Melichar and Danielle Collins 6-4 7-5 on Sunday to clinch the tie 3-2 and set up a semi-final clash with Belarus in April.
It is the first time since 2014 that Australia have reached the semi-finals.
“We’ve had a hell of a weekend and there’s absolutely nothing better than coming out and playing a live tie for your country,” Barty, who celebrated with her teammates, said.
The location will be decided by a coin toss as Australia and Belarus are yet to play each other in the Fed Cup.
Collins defeated Daria Gavrilova 6-1 3-6 6-2 to even the world group first round tie 2-2 heading into the doubles.
Barty had given Australia a 2-1 lead earlier in the day when she defeated America’s top- ranked player Madison Keys 6-4 6-1.
The other Fed Cup semi-final will feature France against Romania.
Romania upset defending champion Czech Republic 3-2 to advance to the semi-finals for the first time.
The Czechs have won six titles in the last eight years.
Irina-Camelia Begu and Monica Niculescu teamed up to clinch the best-of-five contest with a 6-7 (2) 6-4 6-4 win over Czech pair Katerina Siniakova and Barbora Krejcikova in the doubles.
Romania took a 2-1 lead on an indoor hard-court in Ostrava after Simona Halep beat Karolina Pliskova 6-4, 5-7, 6-4 in a reverse singles featuring two former top-ranked players.
Halep improved her record against Pliskova to 7-2 to put Romania one win from advancing.
Siniakova, the star of last year’s final victory against the US, made it 2-2 with a 6-4, 6-2 win over Mihaela Burzanescu, leaving the result hinging on the doubles.
AAP
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