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 Photographer: Ray Giubilo
Date: 26 Apr 2008 |  Photographer: Ray Giubilo
Date: 26 Apr 2008 |  Photographer: Ray Giubilo
Date: 26 Apr 2008 |  Photographer: Ray Giubilo
Date: 26 Apr 2008 |  Photographer: Ray Giubilo
Date: 26 Apr 2008 |  Photographer: Ray Giubilo
Date: 26 Apr 2008 |  Photographer: Ray Giubilo
Date: 26 Apr 2008 |  Photographer: Ray Giubilo
Date: 26 Apr 2008 |  Photographer: Ray Giubilo
Date: 26 Apr 2008 |
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| 26 Apr 2008 - Geovillage, Olbia - Adam Lincoln - ITA v UKR | |
| Bondarenko levels it for Ukraine |
The Fed Cup World Group Play-off tie between Italy and Ukraine is poised at 1-1 after the first day’s play, with the No.1 players of each team delivering the requisite wins – albeit in very different fashion.
Francesca Schiavone is sometimes called a lioness, and she needed all her trademark tenacity and guile on the Sardinian clay today. In a dramatic match, the Italian world No.22 clawed her way back from two match points down in the second set, and another in the third, to secure a morale-boosting victory over Mariya Koryttseva, 3-6, 7-6 (7-0), 7-5.
Koryttseva makes a great start
Ranked 59th, Koryttseva might have being playing her first Fed Cup singles match – in her country’s most significant tie to date – but she came out firing on all cylinders. Flat, hard driving to the corners enabled her to keep Schiavone on the back foot to secure an early break, and although both players kept the quality of play high, it was an advantage she was able to hold onto for the rest of the first set.
Koryttseva kept the momentum at the start of the second, breaking for 2-0 with the help of Italian errors. But Schiavone punished a short ball to break back in the very next game, giving hope to local fans that a comeback had at last been mobilised. Instead, the players exchanged service breaks, and while Schiavone kept the winners flowing, she made far more mistakes.
But, presented with a chance to serve for the match at 5-3, Koryttseva waivered. And not, to her great regret, before holding those two match points. The Ukrainian’s more experienced opponent saved the first with a winning forehand return, and three errors later proceedings were back on serve.
Schiavone shines…and then stutters
Let out of jail, Schiavone held her serve to love with a bounce smash to level at 5-5. The Ukrainian regrouped to hold her own delivery, but, serving to stay in the match for the second time, Schiavone launched a 12 point winning streak. Exploiting drop shots and superior net play she held to love, and then produced every shot in the book in a dream tie-break that was pocketed 7-0.
All seemed well in the rankings universe as Schiavone raced to 4-1 in the third set, despite losing her opening service game. However, just when it seemed her increasingly patient play would see her through, Koryttseva mounted a fresh challenge. Back in her groove, she held a service game to love and was gifted the break back with a double fault by the Italian. An epic game at 4-4 ended when the Ukrainian broke on her fifth opportunity, giving her another chance to serve for the match. She nearly did it too, but sent a forehand wide on her third match point. Schiavone smelled blood, losing just one more point during the next two games to close it out the contest.
Having averted a fifth Fed Cup loss in a row by the skin of her teeth, Schiavone could smile at last. “I just kept thinking, keep going, don’t stop Franchie, keep hitting the ball. She played well, she had a good chance, but I think my experience helped.” For her part, Koryttseva was left to rue her chances, although she hopes to gain a philosophical perspective about the match some time soon. “I’ll have to think about that,” she laughed. “I don’t know, it’s experience anyway.”
Bondarenko in control
Alona Bondarenko secured a more routine win over Karin Knapp in the second rubber, after Flavia Pennetta withdrew from the match with a groin strain. But there was never a chance the Ukrainian No.1 would take her surprise opponent lightly, for she lost to the 20-year-old Italian on clay at Roland Garros last year.
Both players enjoy career high rankings at present; 23-year-old Bondarenko broke into the top 20 two weeks ago, while Knapp sits on a ranking of 36. But today the Ukrainian’s better court movement gave her the upper hand on her taller rival, and although the Italian fought valiantly in her Fed Cup debut to break back in the second set, she was unable to find the rhythm needed to take the match to a decider.
Bondarenko was clearly relieved by her 63, 63 win. “I was really nervous after Mariya almost won but lost,” she said. “I felt more pressure at the start but just had to play my game and do my best.” Adding that she had prepared for a potential Knapp match just in case, she seemed comfortable with the 1-1 status of the tie after day one, and more than ready to take on Schiavone, a player she has beaten the last two occasions they played, on Sunday.
“We hope to win for sure,” Bondarenko said. “They’re a strong team, made the final last year and won two years ago. But if we don’t think about the crowd, about playing in Italy, just play our game, then we have a good chance
Related Links on other websites
> Informazioni in Italiano - FIT
> Information in Ukrainian - UTF
Related Links on Fedcup.com
> Tie Information
> Scorecards and stats from this tie
> Koryttseva to open against Schiavone
Related audio
 Interview with Alona Bondarenko (UKR) - day 1
Interview with Francesca Schiavone (ITA) - day 1
 
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