Sara Errani rallied from a set down on Sunday to defeat Taiwan’s Lee Ya-hsuan 3-6, 6-2, 6-3 as Italy took an unassailable 3-0 lead in their Fed Cup World Group II playoff, relegating the visitors back to Asia/Oceania Group I next season.
Errani converted seven of 12 break points and saved five of 10, winning 87 of the 164 points contested in 1 hour, 52 minutes at the Circolo Tennis in Barletta, Italy.
“It was a great feeling at the end of the match and now I am tired because of the tension of the match, and it is really important to have kept our place in the World Group,” Errani told the Fed Cup Web site. “I was really nervous and couldn’t play my best game in the first set when she was hitting really aggressively. I couldn’t get into the court during the set, but in the second I relaxed more and found some better depth. I did use the drop-shots, but she was fast with good hands and so I couldn’t use it as much as I wanted.”
Photo: CNA, courtesy of the Four Pillars Athletics Foundation
“I knew that physically she may feel the long game from yesterday. When it got to 4-3 in the final set I had the wind with me and I knew that would be in my favour,” the former French Open finalist said.
After marathon 2-6, 6-3, 12-10 loss to Martina Trevisan which lasted 2 hours, 55 minutes in the opening singles rubber on Saturday, Lee reflected on two strong performances in Italy that ultimately proved fruitless.
“I wanted to finish the match in two sets, but I made too many errors on important points,” the 21-year-old Taiwanese told the Fed Cup Web site. “I will keep playing this way because it suits my game, and playing against Sara was a very good experience and it will help me in my career.”
With the second reverse singles rubber scrapped after Italy confirmed the victory, Taiwan’s Chuang Chia-jung and Hsu Ching-wen grabbed a consolation point for the visitors with a 6-4, 6-4 victory over Jasmine Paolini and Camilla Rosatello in the doubles rubber.
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