Fed Cup: Austria is relegated

At the Fed Cup tournament in Tallinn Barbara Haas and Julia Grabher lose the relegation match against Georgia 1:2. Captain Ju? rgen Waber’s team will have to compete in Group II of the Europe/Africa Zone in 2019.

The accusation that the women’s national team did not fight at the Fed Cup tournament in Tallinn is unfounded. After the unlucky 1:2 marathons against Poland and Turkey, Captain Waber’s team once again spent more than seven hours in the Tallink Tennis Center on Saturday to finally leave the hall as losers. Even more bitter: The goal “class retention” was missed, after the 1:2 against Georgen in the relegation match, Austria has to descend into Group II of the Europe/Africa zone.

First the 21-year-old Julia Grabher (WTA-244) lost against the 29-year-old Sophia Shapatava (WTA-343) after 1:54 hours with 3:6,6:4,4:6. Hope grew after 21-year-old Barbara Haas (WTA-177) equalized with 7:6 (5), 2:6,6:3 against 26-year-old Gorgodze (WTA-326) after 2:27 hours at 1:1. In the deciding doubles Oksana Kalashnikova/Shapatava took revenge against Grabher/Haas for last year’s defeat, the Georgians won after 1:59 hours 6:4,3:6,6:2.

“Playing in such a relegation playoff means a special pressure situation that we didn’t quite cope with,”said Ju? rgen Waber,”We relied on the two singles, but unfortunately one thing was lost. In the doubles, Georgia was a bit better because of a specialist who had gone crazy. We don’t have that possibility, Barbara had to go right after her exhausting single.”

Three years ago, the team in Budapest also relegated to Group II, the following year in Cairo immediately resumed its ascent, and in 2017 the impressive fifth place was achieved in Tallinn. Also because Barbara was absent from Poland because of the illness and was ultimately not in full possession of her powers.”

What encourages: Barbara Haas and Julia Grabher are 21 years old.