Issue link: http://itf.uberflip.com/i/315708
The Italians, who had won comfortably 3-1 away against a comparatively inexperienced United States team in the first round, were now summarily dealt with themselves by what their long-time captain, Corrado Barazzutti, described as "the best team in the world". Kvitova took the third rubber 63 75 despite a spirited performance from replacement Roberta Vinci. It would probably be fair to say that Australia didn't see their defeat coming against Germany. The nation had thrashed Russia 4-0 in the first round and captain Alicia Molik was emboldened by the fact that her team had practised well all week and that her No. 1 Sam Stosur had a winning record against both opponents. Perhaps all that cuddling with the koalas at the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary, where the draw was made, softened them up. The first set between Stosur and the all- rounder Andrea Petkovic, clearly still on a high from a title win in Charleston a fortnight earlier, was surprisingly one-sided. The Australian lost her way and by the time she got back on track it was too late and she lost 61 76. A player of Kerber's standing hardly needs the helping hand of a winning start from a teammate, but took it all the same to demolish fellow lefthander Casey Dellacqua 61 60 in just 51 minutes. Australian hopes of a first Fed Cup Final appearance in 21 years had suddenly receded far into the distance. Stosur had beaten Kerber in their only two previous meetings and seemed well on her way to a third victory when she took the opening set of the third rubber. But one can never discount the impact of bathroom breaks and when the German came back from hers at the end of the first set she won seven games in a row to draw level at one set all. The third game of the final set, which lasted 15 minutes before Stosur eventually dropped serve, proved pivotal and Kerber went on to win 46 60 64, the Germans thereby reeling off three straight wins, just as they had done against Slovak Republic in February. Germany had done to Australia what Australia did to them in the opening three rubbers of a play-off match in Stuttgart two years ago. Not exactly schadenfreude but satisfying all the same. Petra Kvitova hit top form in Ostrava The Australians before their loss to Germany It was a disappointing weekend for 2013 Fed Cup heroine Sara Errani ITFWORLD SPRING 2014 23