Helen40 wrote:

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How far do we normally get? I seem to recall good starts and then falling, but I can't recall which hurdle that happens at.

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2012 & 2013, we made it through the group, won the play off, and won through to the World Group 2 playoff, but lost that playoff each time
2014 we were 2-2 in a group of 4 and did not make it out of the group
2015 we were 2-1 in group matches, but lost the promotional playoff to Belarus
2016 we were 2-1 in a group of 3 and did not make it out of the group

Well done Heather

Latvia & Croatia also both won their first rubbers easily.

Jo 4*-3

Slightly worried about this one; while I think Jo is by far the best player in Estoniia right now, Googoogachu found the best form of her careerin the Fed Cup in either 2016 or 2015; whereas Jo's last outing before this year was pretty dismal.

Jo 5-3*

Jo's serve stats 0 aces, 1 DF, 53% 1st serve are well below her usual standard.

Babos thrashes Konjuh, so Croatia v. Hungary will be decided by the doubles.

Not vintage Johanna, certainly, having now twice surrendered a break advantage, 5-5*

the addict wrote:

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Another great win. I fully expected Hev to win her three matches against lower-ranked opposition, but to drop only 6 games in 6 sets is fantastic.

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 Agreed - I thought Heather would get dragged into a long tiring battle in one of the three matches, but she will be in good shape and full of confidence tomorrow now.

 

Jo facing a real battle today, so much so that it might be Ostapenko who seals our place at the top of the group rather than Jo.

Serve has picked up a little, but still only 54%, with 51% won on first serve. Going to be a tough match.

Meanwhile Ostapenko is a set and a double break up, so might not matter after all

Ostapenko cruises to victory so we're through to the promotion play-off regardless of what happens. I don't particularly want to see Jo involved in a three hour slog, but would probably be preferable to go through with a clean victory rather than on tiebreak.

MTO in the Croatia-Hungary match part way through the third game

Jo having an off-day serving ? An off-set maybe, so far dropped just two points on serve in the second set, one a DF !

-- Edited by the addict on Friday 10th of February 2017 11:23:40 AM