Debutant Antonia Lottner (Düsseldorf) has equalized the German Fed Cup team in the first round duel in Belarus. The 21-year-old unexpectedly won 7-5,6-4 against the Belarusian top player Aliaksandra Sasnovich and equalled 1-1.
At the beginning Tatjana Maria (Bad Saulgau), in the absence of Angelique Kerber (Kiel) and Julia Görges (Bad Oldesloe) had lost Germany’s number one, against Arina Sabalenka 6:4,1:6,2:6. Lottner did a better job of it, as she played nervously at her first appearance in the Fed Cup and didn’t let herself be unsettled by the backdrop in Minsk. After 1:37 hours Lottner turned her first match point.
On Sunday Germany needs two more victories, otherwise the selection of the new team boss Jens Gerlach will have to go into the relegation as last year. The prelude starts at 11.00 am (DAZN) Maria against Sasnovich, then Lottner meets Sabalenka.
For the doubles Gerlach nominated the experienced Anna-Lena Grönefeld (Nordhorn) and the young Anna-Lena Friedsam (Neuwied) in her first match for Germany. The duo meets Wera Lapko and Lidija Marozawa.
Belarus, which had lost last year’s final against the USA in the final, will also not be on top form in the duel with Germany. The two-time Australian Open winner and former world number one Viktoria Asarenka will not be in Minsk this weekend.