Last update - 01:21 04/02/2008
Sublime Sharapova silences Israel
By Haaretz Sports Staff and Agencies
After starting the day with the tie poised at 1-1, Israel yesterday lost all three rubbers of its Fed Cup World Group quarterfinal against defending champions Russia at Ramat Hasharon, losing the match 4-1.
Israel will now prepare for an April play-off in order to stay in the World Group, while Russia will face the winners of the tie between the United States and Germany in the semifinals.
Shahar Peer, ranked 17th in the world and Israel's main hope if there was going to be an upset, was crushed 6-1 6-1 by Maria Sharapova, the Australian Open champion, in the first match of the day. The Russian world number seven Anna Chakvetadze then secured the tie after seeing off a brave challenge from Tzipi Obziler 6-4 6-2.
After her game, Chakvetadze was critical of the partisan Ramat Hasharon crowd.
"I think they (the crowd) should be a little more respectful... all we ask that they are a little more quiet during the points," said Chakvetadze.
At the same time, she noted that "I love to have the crowd against me, and I use it to lift my own level. Today was tough because the fans were very loud but I'm very happy to have won."
Two days of spectacular tennis ended with Dinara Safina and Elena Vesnina completing the victory for Russia by beating Peer and Obziler in the dead doubles rubber 6-0 1-6 6-4.
The morning began with Peer's highly awaited match against world number five Sharapova, making her Fed Cup debut for Russia this weekend. On Saturday, Sharapova had beaten Obziler to level the tie after Peer had overcome Safina.
The Israeli number one had no answer to the Australian Open champion's powerful groundstrokes and Sharapova broke Peer six times to win in an hour and 14 minutes.
Serves were held until the fourth game when Sharapova broke and consolidated with a love game to go up 4-1. Up 5-1 and serving, Sharapova saved two break points before she was able to close on her third set point.
In the second set, Peer served first, forcing her Russian counterpart to experience some catch-up tennis. Not for long, however, a justified overrule by chair umpire, Pascal Maria, followed up by a double fault gave Russia the early break.
Sharapova was now producing top-level tennis and won 10 consecutive games on her way to sealing the second point for Russia.
Sharapova said she was not surprised by the outcome of her match against Peer.
"I have a good past record against her and I was not surprised... I hit a very powerful flat ball and she is more defensive, so it does not surprise me," she said.
Peer agreed she was beaten by the better player but did not think the match was as one-sided as the scoreline suggested.
"She put real pressure on me from the start and didn't give me a chance to breathe, she won all the important points but it was really tougher than that," Peer said.
"I did everything I could," Peer added. "I wasn't playing badly but I couldn't win the important points. Her unforced errors were only on the points which weren't important. I guess that's why she's there at the top."
Noting Peer's attempts to get the crowd behind ber, Sharapova said: "She actually gave me confidence because she was encouraging the crowd. In a way I felt she was telling me 'I need their help, I can't do it on my own'.
"It was great, I said to myself 'I'm going to take my chances and win the match.' I'm glad I could finish it off in style."
In the next match, Obziler got off to a good start, breaking her opponent twice, but Chakvetadze came back from 3-0 down in the first set and shut out the chanting from a hostile home crowd who sensed they might be able to unsettle her.
The Russian was too good for her 34-year-old opponent who was never able to threaten her on the important points.
Down 3-4, Obziler defended a break point and tied the set at 4-4. However, when serving at 4-5, the Israeli veteran saved two set points but a double fault at 30-40 put Russia one set from clinching a semifinal spot.
In the second set both players held serve until the fourth game. They proceeded to exchange serves, but then things got a bit heated.
The undisciplined crowd got to Chakvetadze's head and the audacious Russian girl was challenging the 4,000 fans after every point she won. She used this ongoing harassment to lift her game and go up 5-2. At the change of sides, Russia's captain Shamil Tarpischev had to calm his player down, which he did. Chakvetadze broke Obziler yet again to send title-holders Russia charging into the semifinal.
"I started off slowly but then I managed to get into the match," said Chakvetadze. Obziler said she had done her best but was beaten by a better player.
"I lost the momentum after a good start, perhaps I could have done some things better but today proved the difference in standard between us," she said.