Last update - 00:00 15/07/2007
Fantastic first day for Israel in Austria
By Rami Hipsh
Israel's Fed Cup team is just one win away from advancing to the World Group for the first time ever after Shahar Peer and Tzipi Obziler defeated their Austrian opponents yesterday in their best-of-five playoff tie in Linz.
An hour before the first match yesterday, Austria was forced to replace Sybille Bammer, 24th in the WTA singles rankings, with Yvonne Meusburger (85). "All of our preparations changed," said Israel coach Oded Jacob. "Lior Mor immediately ran down to practice with [Obziler], because he is right-handed [like Meusburger] and Bammer is left-handed. There was also more pressure on Peer."
Peer defeated 16-year-old Tamira Paszek 6-4, 6-4 in the first singles match, while Obziler gave Israel a 2-0 lead in the tie with a 6-3, 6-1 victory over Meusburger in the second match. Two reverse singles matches and the doubles match are scheduled for today.
Peer opened poorly against her younger opponent, and Paszek broke the Israeli's serve in the third game. However, Peer broke back quickly and soon took a 5-3 lead on her way to closing out the set.
Peer took control of the second set and seemed to be cruising to victory when she took a 5-1 lead, but Paszek, who had no pressure on her, fought back to win the next three games. Peer, though, retrenched and held serve in the 10th game to give Israel the first point of the tie. "I knew that I wouldn't be able to take it easy against her," said Peer. "At 5-1 [in the second set] I began to make mistakes that I shouldn't make, but I knew how to get focused again."
After Peer's victory, the pressure fell on Obziler, who has much more experience than Meusburger. The two held their serves until the seventh game of the first set, when Obziler went ahead 4-3 and then took the next two games as well.
At the beginning of the second set, Meusburger asked for medical treatment on her stomach muscles. Obziler was already in control and there was nothing the Austrian could do. "I knew that I needed to be at the same level of preparedness, and I treated the match as if I was facing Bammer," said Obziler.
With the 2-0 lead, Israel stands at the edge of a historic appearance in the World Group. Peer can clinch the spot when she faces either Meusburger or Bammer in the first reverse singles match today. "In my head, I am prepared to play Bammer, who is an excellent player, and if someone else steps in to face me, then I welcome it," said Peer. "In any case, my goal is to win."