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GB Fed Cup girls hammer Hungary


Impressive singles victories for Anne Keothavong and Elena Baltacha and a doubles win for Sarah Borwell and Mel South ensured the AEGON GB Fed Cup team made a perfect start to their 2009 campaign in Estonia on Wednesday.

Baltacha beat Greta Arn in straight sets to put GB 1-0 up before Keothavong earned Britain an unassailable 2-0 lead over opponents Hungary by thrashing world No.25 Agnes Szavay 6-3, 6-2. Sarah Borwell and Mel South then teamed up to beat Szavay and Katalin Marosi 6-4, 6-3 to wrap up a 3-0 result.

Baltacha, who qualified and won a round at the Australian Open in January, produced a determined Fed Cup performance to beat world No.155 Arn 7-5, 6-3 despite her opponent serving for the first set at 5-4.

Keothavong also had to withstand some early pressure when she trailed 0-40 in her opening service game, before finding her range from the back of the court and pulling off a surprisingly straightforward victory.

It is the second time Keothavong has beaten Szavay this year after she took care of the former world No.13 in the first round of the Moorilla Hobart International prior to the Australian Open.

“I played a solid match today and was far more consistant than Szavay,” Keothavong told her official website. “I mixed up my serve well and played with more confidence than her.

“It’s a great way for the team to start the competition with everyone playing their part and hopefully we can keep up the good work for the rest of the week.

“I decided to not play the doubles after being informed straight after my singles that we would be playing the Netherlands in the morning session. It was a dead rubber and getting some rest was more important.”

Britain are one of 15 teams competing in the Europe/Africa Zone Fed Cup Group 1 in Tallinn this week hoping to secure one of two promotion play-off places.

The nations have been split into four groups with the winners of the round robin pools going through to Saturdays semi-finals. The winners of those two ties qualify for a World Group II play-off tie in April.

GB will take on the Netherlands and Luxembourg in their next two Pool A ties held on Thursday and Friday. Their next test is against the Dutch on Thursday at 10am local time.


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Tim Farthing, Tennishead Editorial Director & Owner, has been a huge tennis fan his whole life. He's a tennis journalist and entrepreneur as well as playing tennis to a national standard. He also helps manage his local club and volunteers for his local tennis organisation. He's a specialist in content about the administration of professional tennis and tennis coaching for all levels.