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| Serena helps put US up 2-0 on Belarus (AP) |
| February 4, 16:39 PM : ten |
Serena Williams was back in the Fed Cup on Saturday for the first time in five years, giving the United States a strong lineup. Top-ranked Victoria Azarenka was hoping to provide a similar lift for Belarus, but she was sidelined by a lower back injury. The Americans capitalized with straight-set victories by Williams and Christina McHale for a 2-0 lead in the best-of-five series, which concludes...
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| Sharapova wins, Russia leads Spain 2-0 (AP) |
| February 5, 6:59 AM : ten |
Svetlana Kuznetsova beat Silvia Soler-Espinosa 6-2, 4-6, 6-3 in the second reverse singles Sunday to secure Russia an unsurmountable 3-1 lead over Spain in the Fed Cup World Group first-round series. Russia will host either Belgium or Serbia in the semifinals on April 21-22. In the early reverse singles match, Carla Suarez Navarro routed Nadia Petrova 6-0, 6-3 to give Spain its first point in the...
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| Kvitova rallies, Czechs up 2 on Germany (AP) |
| February 5, 6:46 AM : ten |

Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova rallied to beat Germany's Sabine Lisicki and send defending champion Czech Republic into the semifinals of the Fed Cup after taking an insurmountable lead in the first round on Sunday. Angelique Kerber later beat Lucie Hradecka 6-4, 6-4 to pull the score back to 3-1 and salvage some pride for the hosts with the 24-year-old German's first Fed Cup win.
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| Monfils saves match point to reach final (AP) |
| February 4, 10:53 AM : ten |
Defending champion Gael Monfils saved a match point to edge Gilles Simon 4-6, 7-6 (4), 6-4 in an all-French match Saturday and reach the Open Sud de France final. Monfils will meet top-seeded Tomas Berdych, who beat Philipp Kohlschreiber of Germany 6-3, 6-4. Berdych is going for his first title since winning the China Open in October.
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| Lacko to face Youzhny in Zagreb final (AP) |
| February 4, 14:19 PM : ten |
Lukas Lacko of Slovakia reached his first ATP final when he ousted 2007 champion Marcos Baghdatis 7-5, 7-6 (3) in the Zagreb Indoors semifinals on Saturday. Lacko, playing on the main tour since 2007, will face third-seeded Mikhail Youzhny, who is seeking his eighth title in his 18th career final. Youzhny advanced with a 6-3, 6-4 victory over Michael Berrer of Germany.
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| Wickmayer pulls Belgium even with Serbia (AP) |
| February 4, 11:11 AM : ten |
Jelena Jankovic of Serbia and Yanina Wickmayer of Belgium won in straight sets Saturday, leaving this opening-round Fed Cup series tied after the first day. Jankovic, once ranked No. 1, beat Kirsten Flipkens 7-5, 7-5. Wickmayer then downed Bojana Jovanovski 6-4, 6-4. Kim Clijsters decided to sit out the opening round for Belgium in her farewell season.
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| Errani wins, but Italy tied with Ukraine (AP) |
| February 4, 9:41 AM : ten |
Lesia Tsurenko routed 2010 French Open champion Francesca Schiavone 6-1, 6-2 Saturday, leaving Ukraine tied with Italy after their opening singles matches at the Fed Cup. Earlier on the indoor red-clay court at the Lauretana Forum, Sara Errani followed her quarterfinal appearance at the Australian Open by beating Kateryna Bondarenko 6-2, 6-3.
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