Taiwan will play in Fed Cup World Group II for the first time next year after they completed a 4-1 victory over Poland in their playoff on Sunday.
With the teams tied at 1-1 after the first two singles rubbers on Saturday in Inowroclaw, Poland, Lee Ya-hsuan and Hsu Ching-wen secured victories over Paula Kania and Magdalena Frech respectively in the reverse singles to secure promotion.
While the hosts were also without world No. 2 Agnieszka Radwanska and Magda Linette, who both pulled out with injuries last week, nothing can take away from the achievement of captain Wang Shi-Ting’s young team.
Photo: EPA
However, the day did not start well for Lee, who was broken in her first service game and went to lose the first set against Kania, but she bounced back, saving two match points on her way to a 2-6, 6-3, 9-7 victory in 2 hours, 35 minutes.
Lee saved seven of 13 break points and converted six of 12, winning 109 of the 216 points contested to hand Taiwan a 2-1 lead.
“I was really nervous,” Kania told the Fed Cup Web site. “My opponent, she was playing always very aggressive and I couldn’t really relax in the most important moment, which was my two match points.”
By contrast, world No. 353 Hsu got off to a flying start against Frech, breaking the Polish player twice in the first set and going on to complete a 6-2, 4-6, 6-3 victory in 2 hour, 5 minutes.
The 19-year-old saved four of 10 break points and converted eight of 14, winning 86 of the 161 points contested to give the visitors an unassailable 3-1 lead.
“I’m very happy with the way I played, and how I controlled my nerves and emotions,” Hsu told the Fed Cup Web site.
“I’m also excited because it’s the first time that Taiwan will play in the World Group II,” the teenager said.
Doubles specialists Chan Chin-wei and Chuang Chia-jung then completed a clean sweep by the visitors on Sunday, downing Poland player-captain Klaudia Jans-Ignacik and Katarzyna Kawa 6-2, 7-6 (7/1) in 1 hour, 24 minutes.
The Taiwanese duo saved two of four break points and converted four of eight, winning 74 of the 130 points contested.
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