Taiwan defeated Kazakhstan to go top of Pool B at the Fed Cup Asia/Oceania Group I tournament in Hua Hin, Thailand, yesterday, the team’s second straight 2-1 win following their victory over China on Wednesday.
Once again, Chang Kai-chen got Taiwan off to the perfect start, while the Chan sisters sealed the victory against the pre-tournament favorites.
World No. 156 Chang once again defied the WTA Tour rankings to rally from a set down against world No. 83 Yaroslava Shvedova and complete a 4-6, 7-6 (7/2), 7-6 (7/4) victory in 2 hours, 26 minutes in the first singles rubber at the True Arena Hua Hin.
Chang saved seven of 13 break points and converted five of 11 to edge Shvedova and hand Taiwan an important 1-0 lead.
However, world No. 82 Hsieh Su-wei could not repeat Chang’s heroics in the second singles rubber, with world No. 69 Zarina Diyas proving too strong for the Taiwanese No. 1 as she raced to a 6-3, 6-1 victory in just 66 minutes, tying the match 1-1.
That meant Taiwan needed sisters Chan Hao-ching and Chan Yung-jan to bounce back from their opening-day defeat against Shvedova and Gallina Voskoboeva in the deciding doubles rubber and they duly obliged, winning a tight first set 6-4, before racing through the second 6-0 to send Taiwan to the top of Pool B.
The Chan sisters saved five of eight break points and converted seven of 16, winning 67 of the 115 points contested to complete the victory in 72 minutes.
In the third round-robin match today, Taiwan take on South Korea, bottom of the Pool B after their second straight loss yesterday, 2-1 against China, with a win guaranteeing Taiwan a place in tomorrow’s face-off with the winners of Pool A for a place in the World Group II playoffs in April.
Thailand were top of Pool A yesterday, with a 2-0 record after victories over India and Uzbekistan.
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