Belgium through but Russia out of Fed Cup
( 2002-04-29 09:57 ) (7 )

Fed Cup champions Belgium eased into the quarter-finals of the women's team competition on Sunday by completing a comfortable victory over Australia, but last year's beaten finalists Russia were shocked by Germany.

Barbara Rittner inspired the Germans to a 3-2 victory -- the first time they have beaten Russia in the Fed Cup.

The 29-year-old won both her singles matches before teaming up with Marlene Weingaertner for a 7-6 6-2 win over Elena Dementieva and Elena Likhovtseva in Sunday's decisive doubles.

"I can't believe we have won this thing," Rittner said after her remarkable performances on the Dresden clay.

"This is my best performance in Fed Cup by a long way."

Germany will face Spain in the last eight after they earlier ousted Hungary.

In Brussels, Wimbledon runner-up Justine Henin clinched the decisive win for Belgium, beating Australia's Alicia Molik 6-2 6-1 to give the hosts a winning 3-1 lead at the Royal Leopold Club.

The doubles, which would have had no effect on the result, was abandoned due to rain.

Nicole Pratt had earlier given Australia a glimmer of hope beating Els Callens -- a replacement for the injured Kim Clijsters -- 6-2 6-4.

Belgium will face Italy in the last eight after the Italians thrashed Sweden 5-0 in Milan.

Adriana Serra Zanetti beat Asa Carlsson-Svensson 6-3 7-6 and Roberta Vinci beat Sofia Arvidsson 6-3 6-2 before teaming up with Maria Elena Camerin to beat Arvidsson and Maria Wolfbrandt 1-6 6-0 6-4 to complete the whitewash.

In Bol, Croatia won the deciding doubles to defeat the Czech Republic 3-2 and now face the winners of the US-Austria tie.

The Americans trail Austria 2-0 going into the final day.

PRIVATE SESSION

Monica Seles was beaten by Barbara Schwartz on Saturday and the US were forced to forfeit the second singles match after captain Billie Jean King threw Jennifer Capriati off the team.

The world number two was dumped on Friday for refusing to cancel a private hitting session with her coach and father Stefano, which was against "team rules", King said.

Comfortable singles victories for Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario and Magui Serna set Spain on their way to a 4-1 victory over Hungary in Almeria.

Sanchez-Vicario brushed aside Hungary's Zsofia Gubacsi 6-0 6-2 in the opening match and Serna assured Spain of a place in the quarter-finals in July after she went on to beat Hungarian number two Rita Kuti Kis 6-3 6-1.

The 30-year-old Sanchez-Vicario then extended her record number of wins in Fed Cup matches to 69 as she and partner Virginia Ruano mopped up the final doubles with a 7-5 6-2 win over Gubacsi and Aniko Kapros.

FRENCH VICTORY

Three-times French Open champion Sanchez-Vicario gave Spain the perfect start to the day with a straightforward victory before Serna, who had stepped in for Angeles Montolio who injured her foot in Saturday's defeat to Gubacsi, clinched victory.

Slovakia made hard work of their match against a weakened Switzerland, blowing a 2-0 lead before finally creeping into the quarters 3-2 with a doubles victory.

The Swiss, without Martina Hingis, mounted a spirited comeback as Patty Schnyder beat Daniela Hantuchova 6-3 6-3 and Myriam Casanova edged Henrieta Nagyova 3-6 6-3 6-1 to level the match.

But Hantuchova and Janette Husarova regrouped and teamed up to beat Schnyder and Casanova 6-0 6-7 6-3.

The Slovak pair squandered a 6-0 5-2 lead in the doubles, but recovered to win in three sets and end hopes of a Swiss revival.

The Slovaks will next face France after Guy Forget's team beat Argentina 3-2 in Buenos Aires.

Coming into the second day level at 1-1, France wrapped up both singles victories to take a winning 3-1 lead.

Amelie Mauresmo nosed the visitors in front with a no-nonsense 6-4 6-3 victory over Paola Suarez before Nathalie Dechy, in for the substituted Testud, sealed victory beating Mariana Diaz-Oliva 6-2 6-3.