Russia, France take lead in Fed Cup semis
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2004-11-25 09:32

Russia's Anastasia Myskina returns a forehand to Austria's Patricia Wartusch during their second single match of the semi-finals of the Fed Cup final four tournament in Moscow. [AFP]

Russia and France respectively grabbed commanding 2-0 lead in their Fed Cup semi-finals on Wednesday.

French Open champion Anastasia Myskina and US Open winner Svetlana Kuznetsova gave the home side a flying start against Austria by winning both of their singles matches.

Earlier, Tatiana Golovin and Nathalie Dechy also won both their singles to put defending champions France in control against Spain.

Russia's Svetlana Kuznetsova returns a shot to Austria's Yvonne Meusburger during their semifinal Fed Cup tennis match in Moscow, Wednesday, Nov. 24, 2004. Kuznetsova won 6-1, 6-1. [AP]

Russia's Kuznetsova trounced Austrian number one Yvonne Meusburger 6-1, 6-1 in the opening rubber and Myskina crushed Patricia Wartusch 6-0, 6-0 to put the home side on the verge of their first Fed Cup final since 2001.

World number three Myskina simply routed the 225th-ranked Austrian Wartusch in just 41 minutes while the 173rd-ranked Meusburger lasted six minutes longer against world number five Kuznetsova.

In the other tie, 16-year-old Golovin, making her singles debut in the competition, beat Anabel Medina Garrigues 6-3, 6-3. Dechy, the highest-ranked non-Russian player in the finals at 21, had little trouble against Maria Sanchez Lorenzo, winning 6-2, 6-4.

With world number two Amelie Mauresmo resting and 2000 French Open champion Mary Pierce battling injury, the 27th-ranked Golovin was left to carry her country's hopes on day one.

France, led by Mauresmo and Pierce, beat Russia 3-2 in last year's semi-finals in Moscow on their way to capturing their second Fed Cup title.

Play continue on Thursday with two reversed singles and a doubles matches for each team.

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