The world-ranked Coco Vandeweghe has taken the USA’s favourite USA 2-1 lead in the Fed Cup final against host Belarus in Minsk.
This means that the record winner from the outstanding two matches only needs one more win for his total of 18. Title win. The last triumph was 17 years ago.
New York semi-finalist Vandeweghe defeated Aryna Sabalenka 7-6 (7-5), 6-1 in Sunday’s top game. The American has twelve aces, among others.
In the fourth match, US Open Champion Sloane Stephens and Alexandra Saznovich face each other in the Tschischowska Arena. After that, the potentially decisive doubles match takes place. Conversions are possible at short notice before all games.
Vandeweghe had already won her first match against Saznovich on Saturday (6-4,6-4). After that, the shapely Stephens, who has been waiting for a victory since her triumph in Flushing Meadows in mid-September, surprisingly lost the duel with Sabalenka (3:6,6:3,4:6).
In their final premiere in the competition, which has been held since 1963, the Belarusian women have to forego their top player Victoria Azarenka. The two-time Australian Open winner is currently unable to leave California due to a continuing custody dispute over her one-year-old son Leo.
Belarus is the first-round opponent and host of the German team in February 2018. The DTB team had lost 4-0 to the USA in Hawaii this season, but then won against the Ukraine in Stuttgart (3-2) in the World Group Relegation.