India lose again, finish last in Pool A

NONTHABURI (Thailand): In a disappointing result, India ended at the bottom of Pool A in the Fed Cup Asia/Oceania Group I after losing 1-2 against Thailand in its last league engagement on Friday.

It was India's third consecutive defeat in as many days, as it earlier suffered defeats against China and Uzbekistan.

Now India will clash against Chinese Taipei, who finished last in Pool B. This will be India's last chance to stay in Group I as the loser will be relegated to Group II of the Asia/Oceania zone.

Earlier, the tie was locked at 1-1 on Friday after the singles matches and yet again the doubles rubber became decisive, which India lost with Sania Mirza and Rushmi Charavarthi frittering away a one-set lead once again.

The Indian pair lost 6-3, 0-6, 5-7 to Noppawan Lertcheewakaran and Nungnadda Wannasuk.

Ashwarya Shrivastav made her debut in Fed Cup when she played the first singles against Nicha Lertpitaksincha, which the Indian lost 2-6, 0-6.

Sania, however, kept Indian chances alive with a 6-2, 6-0 win over Lertcheewakaran but could not help India record its first win in the event.

India were promoted to Group I last year when they won all the three ties - beating Singapore, Malaysia and Kyrgyzstan - without losing a rubber.

India's best Fed Cup performance came in 2006, when it ended as the runners-up in Asia/Oceania Zone Group I.

Devvarman reaches semis after seesaw struggle

JOHANNESBURG: Reigning Commonwealth Games and Asian Games champion Somdev Devvarman from India reached the South African Open semifinals Friday by ousting local Rik de Voest.

The 25-year-old Davis Cup star triumphed 3-6, 7-6, 6-1 after a seesaw 138-minute struggle at Montecasino entertainment centre in a plush northern suburb of the South African financial hub.

It was second time lucky for the native of Assam in north-east India, who was eliminated in straight sets by Spaniard David Ferrer at the quarter-final stage of the ATP World Tour event last year.

A couple of early third-set service breaks set up Devvarman for his untimately comfortable victory which moved him within two matches of a $76,500 first prize and 250 ATP World Tour points.

Devvarman broke serve in the first game and led 3-1 before De Voest stormed back and two service breaks helped the South African win five games on the trot and take the opening set.

The second set saw a similar tale unfold with the Indian quicker into his stride to move 4-1 ahead before he dropped serve in the seventh game and De Voest took full advantage to force a tiebreaker.

Devvarman seemed his own enemy at times, surrendering an early three-point advantage as the South African levelled via a superb backhand cross-court passing shot, before winning 7/5 and taking the duel to a third set.

The four-match centre-court show got off to a good start for the host nation with 1.96-metre Izak van der Merwe overcoming German Simon Greul 7-6, 6-2 in stamina-sapping early afternoon heat.

"I executed my game plan really well today, delivering some good serves when necessary," boasted Van der Merwe, who drilled 10 aces but double faulted four times and committed 37 unforced errors.

Greul was the second consecutive German victim for the 27-year-old after he beat Dustin Brown in the previous round having started his campaign with a triumph over 2010 runner-up Stephane Robert of France.

Van der Merwe appeared in trouble when trailing 40-15 in the ninth game before winning four consective points to hold service and a tiebreaker was needed to separate the pair.

There was a spate of mini-breaks before Van der Merwe held his service twice to lead 6-3 and although Greul pulled back two points it was the South African who successfully served to take the opening set.

It was not as close in the second set with the South African breaking service twice as he comfortably qualified for his first ATP World Tour semifinal.

The two surviving seeds will play later with Kevin Anderson (four) of South Africa facing Slovak Karol Beck after Adrian Mannarino (six) of France tackles Canadian giantkiller Frank Dancevic.

Sharapova leads Russia against France in 1st round

MOSCOW: Three-time Grand Slam champion Maria Sharapova will play Virginie Razzano on Saturday when Russia hosts France in the first round of the Fed Cup.

In the opening singles match of the best-of-five series, two-time major winner Svetlana Kuznetsova will face Alize Cornet.

"It will be my first time playing for Russia in Moscow," Sharapova said. "And I think my experience of playing in a team environment a couple of years ago will definitely help me."

Sharapova made her debut for Russia in the first round against Israel in 2008, winning both her matches. She beat Razzano in the second round of the Australian Open.

Kuznetsova has played in three of Russia's four Fed Cup title wins and has a 18-6 record.

France will be without its two highest-ranked players, Marion Bartoli and Aravane Rezai. In their absence, coach Nicola Escude chose the 67th-ranked Cornet to lead the team.

Cornet lost to eventual champion Kim Clijsters in the third round of the Australian Open for the best showing among French women in the event. But Cornet, who is 1-8 in the Fed Cup, hopes she is ready to challenge the Russian stars.

"I played two good matches at the Australian Open and it was a good start of the season," Cornet said. "I came to Moscow really self-confident and I hope I can now forget about the two poor last seasons in my career."

The Frenchwoman beat Kuznetsova in their only previous meeting on the WTA Tour in 2008.

"Our chances are good," Escude said. "We know we are not favourites for the tie but we are fit perfectly and we are ready to do our best to win."

But Russia captain Shamil Tarpischev downplayed Escude's enthusiasm.

"If we put away the rankings, I can say that both Cornet and Razzano can play a single match on a very high level," Tarpischev said. "But frankly speaking, the result of the tie will depend on us."

Russia is 8-0 at home since losing to France in the 2003 semifinals. The streak includes a win over France in the 2004 final. Russia prevailed again in the 2005 final, the last time the teams met.

In Sunday's reverse singles, Sharapova will play Cornet, while Kuznetsova will take on Razzano. In the doubles match, the Russian pair of Dinara Safina and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova will face the French duo of Julie Coin and Pauline Parmentier.

The reverse singles and doubles nominations can be changed depending on the results of the previous matches.

The winner will play either two-time defending champion Italy or Australia in the semifinals on April 16-17.