Fed Cup: Haas loses – doubles must lead to decision

Barbara Haas has missed the early retirement of the Austrian Fed Cup team in the Europe/Africa zone. The world rankings-177, just recovered from a gastrointestinal virus. was defeated on 2. Turkey’s Cagla Buyukakcay in exactly three hours with 6:4,6:7 (5:7), 4:6. The decision must now be made in doubles. On Thursday morning Julia Grabher had brought the ÖTV ladies into the lead with 1:0.

The 21-year-old from Dornbirn had first of all killed Basak Eraydin on Thursday – also in a true thriller in three acts. After 2:33 hours and a 5:7,6:4,7:5 victory Grabher, the No. 244 in the WTA Ranking, was confirmed as a brilliant winner in the Tallink Tennis Center.

Subsequently, Haas also showed a strong performance. The Austrian number one had suffered from gastrointestinal flu the day before and therefore could not be used in the duel against Poland (1:2). But even the next day, Haas had to overcome some anxious moments. In the tiebreak of the second set, she was already 5:3 in the lead and was only two points away from the match win.

But Buyukakcay, who surprises the Latvian French Open winner Jelena Ostapenko on Thursday, presented herself nervously and won the next four points in a row – and thus second round. In the final set, both Haas and Buyukakcay were able to secure their service. In the ominous seventh game the Linz player then weakened and was beaten to 3:4. But Haas fought back and took the serve of her opponent. The following break, however, she was not able to eradicate, fought off four match points, but was not rewarded for her big effort.

Last year Team Austria finished the tournament in fifth place thanks to three individual points from Barbara Haas. The group matches will be played in two groups of four or three in Tallinn. Two teams will be selected from the four relay winners to qualify for the World Group Playoffs in April. The last in each group must play against relegation to the Europe/Africa zone, Group 2. Two teams descend. The third-place finishers in the groups of four do not play any placing games.