Taiwan’s Chang Kai-chen defeated Russia’s Anna Blinkova 6-3, 7-5 in the second singles rubber of their Fed Cup World Group II tie at the Druzhba Arena in Moscow on Saturday to square the contest 1-1 after the first day’s play.
Taiwan had fallen behind earlier when Ekaterina Makarova beat Lee Ya-hsuan 6-3, 5-7, 6-1 in 2 hours, 18 minutes in the opening singles rubber.
The Russian world No. 39 fired down seven aces and converted seven of 17 break points, winning 105 of the 198 points contested to overpower the Taiwanese world No. 258.
Photo: EPA
However, world No. 121 Chang converted eight of 16 break points, winning 74 of the 130 points contested against 160th-ranked Blinkova in 1 hour, 23 minutes to level the tie going into yesterday’s reverse singles and doubles rubbers.
In the World Group, Switzerland’s Timea Bacsinszky overcame being stung by a wasp to beat French rival Alize Cornet as three of the four ties also ended all-square.
Switzerland were 1-1 against France in Geneva, while defending champions the Czech Republic also split the opening rubbers with Spain in Ostrava, as did top-flight debutants Belarus against the Netherlands in Minsk.
Photo: EPA
The US were closing in on a 2-0 lead over Germany when rain halted play in Hawaii.
Bacsinszky downed Cornet 7-5, 6-4, but only after needing treatment when she was stung on her arm by a wasp at 3-3 in the first set of the clash at the Palexpo Arena.
The Swiss No. 1 immediately dunked her left elbow in a bucket of water, before leaving the court for further treatment on the sting.
When she returned, she broke Cornet’s serve before going on to secure eventual victory on a fourth match point.
“Who would have thought that we would have wasps in Switzerland in February,” said Bacsinszky, the world No. 16. “It hurt a lot, but maybe it will give me super powers on Sunday. The last time I got stung was a long time ago and I ended up in hospital, so I had a little panic today.”
France, the runners-up last season, leveled the tie when world No. 23 Kristina Mladenovic eased past her best friend, Belinda Bencic, 6-3, 6-4.
The Czech Republic were tied 1-1 with Spain after Karolina Pliskova and Garbine Muguruza won their opening rubbers.
World No. 7 Muguruza, the French Open champion, beat world No. 17 Barbora Strycova 6-0, 3-6, 6-1, before world No. 3 Pliskova leveled the tie after seeing off world No. 70 Lara Arruabarrena 6-4, 7-5.
In Hawaii, Alison Riske put the US 1-0 up with a 7-6 (12/10), 6-2 victory over Andrea Petkovic in a tie that started on an awkward note when an outdated version of the German national anthem was performed.
“The USTA extends a sincere apology to the German Fed Cup team & fans 4 the outdated National Anthem,” the US Tennis Association said in a tweet after a stanza of the anthem that dates back to World War II — long dropped by Germany — was sung.
“This mistake will not occur again,” the association said.
It was the start of a tough day for Germany.
After Riske’s win, Australian Open semi-finalist Coco Vandeweghe took a 6-3, 3-1 lead over Julia Goerges before rain stopped play for the day — Goerges tweaking a knee when she slipped on a rain-slicked baseline.
In Minsk, Kiki Bertens rallied from a set down to beat Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus to draw the Netherlands level at 1-1.
World No. 24 Bertens won 3-6, 7-6 (8/6), 6-4 in her first ever meeting with the 18-year-old Belarussian.
Earlier, Aliaksandra Sasnovich, ranked 128th, put Belarus into the lead when she battled back from a set down to beat Michaella Krajicek 4-6, 6-3, 6-2.
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