The Netherlands’ dream Fed Cup run continued as Kiki Bertens crushed Russia’s Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-1, 6-4 in Moscow on Sunday to send them into the semi-finals of the team competition for the first time since 1997.
In the last four the Netherlands are to face France, who completed a resounding victory over Italy, while holders the Czech Republic, who were taken to the wire by Romania, and Switzerland, who beat Germany, completed the lineup.
Bertens, the highest-ranked Netherlands player, but still a lowly No. 106 in the world, took her Fed Cup singles record to an incredible 13-1 as she overwhelmed the twice Grand Slam champion to give the visitors an unassailable 3-0 lead.
Photo: Reuters
The tie finished 3-1.
“This is unbelievable. I don’t think anyone expected that we could win this tie, perhaps we even didn’t,” Bertens told the Fed Cup Web site.
World No. 17 Kuznetsova clearly felt the effects of Saturday’s grueling defeat by Richel Hogenkamp — a four-hour epic that set a Fed Cup singles record — and was no match for the powerful Dutchwoman, who thumped Ekaterina Makarova in the opener.
Russia, last year’s runners-up, were unable to call on world No. 6 Maria Sharapova, who was injured.
The Netherlands, under captain Paul Haarhuis, have now won eight consecutive Fed Cup ties, despite having no player inside the world’s top 100.
“The girls did unbelievably well. They inspire me, they surprise me and every time it is a great thrill to be a part of it,” Haarhuis said. “It is quite astonishing, it is the Moscow miracle.”
France enjoyed a straightforward victory over Italy.
Kristina Mladenovic and Caroline Garcia won their respective singles rubbers against Sara Errani and Camila Giorgi on Sunday, before the pair dropped just one game in winning the doubles to round off a 4-1 success.
Reigning champions the Czech Republic faced a far more testing tie against Romania before reaching the last four with a 3-2 victory.
Romania had taken a 2-1 lead when Simona Halep won 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 to inflict a second defeat of the weekend on Petra Kvitova and when Monica Niculescu took the second set of her match against Karolina Pliskova, Romania were within touching distance of a shock victory.
However, Pliskova rallied to eventually win 6-4, 4-6, 6-3, before teaming up with Barbora Strycova to ease through the doubles 6-2, 6-3 against Andreea Mitu and Raluca Olaru and seal a place in the semi-finals.
Switzerland won 3-2 against Germany, with Belinda Bencic and veteran Martina Hingis winning the decisive doubles 6-3, 6-2 against Andrea Petkovic and Anna-Lena Groenefeld.
Bencic had put Switzerland 2-1 ahead by beating Australian Open champion Angelique Kerber 7-6 (7/4), 6-3, but Annika Beck beat Timea Bacsinszky 7-5, 6-4 to level.
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