A straight-sets win from Daria Gavrilova has given Australia the overall win in the Fed Cup encounter with the Netherlands.
Final score
Daria Gavrilova 6 6
Quirine Lemoine 3 2
Australian Daria Gavrilova will look to turn around some messy early season form and a poor Fed Cup record when she takes on Quirine Lemoine of the Netherlands, who is in an almost must-win position. Join The Roar for live scores and coverage of the fourth rubber from around 1:30pm (AEST).
With things locked at one match a piece after the first day’s play in this World Group Playoff tie, this match will be an opportunity for one nation to avoid doubles and advance in four, pending on who won the third rubber between Ashleigh Barty and Lesley Kerkhove earlier in the day.
Thanks to an upset on Day 1, Australia will need to win two matches today, rather than simply rocking up and knocking the tie over early.
Australia announced last night on Twitter that Daria Gavrilova would replace Samantha Stosur for the reverse singles today after the latter was upset in the first rubber yesterday by Kerkhove.
The change was always going to happen, with Stosur and Barty slated to play doubles together, should a fifth rubber be needed to decide the tie later this afternoon.
Gavrilova is, at the present time a much stronger singles player, particularly on the hard court, than Stosur, despite a poor run of form recently. She will need to turn it around, but taking on the world No.295 Lemoine, wouldn’t be expected to have too many problems.
Since the Australian Open, where she was beaten off the court by Elise Mertens in the second round, inconsistency has hampered Gavrilova.
The Russian-turned-Aussie lost both her matches on grass during Australia’s World Group II tie against the Ukraine, then made the semi-finals at Acapulco. Since then, she hasn’t won more than one match at any of her last three tournaments at Indian Wells, Miami or Charleston.
While her form isn’t amazing, it’s difficult to assess the game of Lemoine, given she has battled some injuries and played lower tournaments due to her ranking.
She lost in the first round of qualification for the 2017 US Open and has since won a handful of matches, but as proven yesterday against Barty, none of them prepared her to take on some of the best players in the world. While Barty is hitting the ball well and was never going to be beaten, Gavrilova’s singles Fed Cup record of two wins and five losses is somewhat concerning for the Australian team.
Prediction
Gavrilova isn’t going to lose this. It would come as a major surprise if she didn’t, however, her tendency to have lapses when under pressure might come into the match. Expect long sets with plenty of errors from the Aussie, who will eventually get the job done.
Gavrilova in straight sets.
Be sure to join The Roar for live coverage of the match from around 1:30pm (AEST) or at the completion of the third rubber between Ashleigh Barty and Lesley Kerkhove and don’t forget to add a comment below.
Scott Pryde
Expert
No worries JB! Thanks for tuning in.
JB
Guest
Thanks for the call Scott
Scott Pryde
Expert
Thanks for joining me this afternoon for The Roar's live coverage of the 2018 Fed Cup. Hopefully you enjoyed the call. The Roar will be back with plenty of tennis at the end of May and into June, with the French Open and Wimbledon coming up in quick succession. Bye for now.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Thoughts on the match and tie Roarers?
Scott Pryde
Expert
AUSTRALIA 3 - NETHERLANDS 1 Lesley Kerkhove defeat Samantha Stosur 7-5, 7-6 Ashleigh Barty defeat Quirine Lemoine 6-0, 6-2 Ashleigh Barty defeat Lesley Kerkhove 6-4, 6-2 Daria Gavrilova defeat Quirine Lemoine 6-3, 6-2
Scott Pryde
Expert
GAME, SET, MATCH, DARIA GAVRILOVA Fault up the T. The second is at the body, returned with a very flat forehand into the net and with that, Australia are back into the world group for 2019! Daria Gavrilova 6 6 Quirine Lemoine 3 2
Scott Pryde
Expert
Serve down the T with plenty of kick, and that's returned into the net by Lemoine. Match and tie point! Gavrilova 6 5 - 40 Lemoine 3 2 - 15
Scott Pryde
Expert
Fault again. Lemoine returns well, but then sends a forehand long. Two points now for Dasha. Gavrilova 6 5 - 30 Lemoine 3 2 - 15
Scott Pryde
Expert
Fault from Gavrilova. Was originally ruled an ace, but overruled. Lemoine with a great return on the second and then she gets to the net, Gavrilova putting a passing forehand wide up the line. Gavrilova 6 5 - 15 Lemoine 3 2 - 15
Scott Pryde
Expert
Fault to start for Gavrilova. The second is out wide and returned well, Lemoine then overcooking a forehand and sending it wide. Gavrilova 6 5 - 15 Lemoine 3 2 - 0
Scott Pryde
Expert
Gavrilova serving for the tie...
Scott Pryde
Expert
Double fault! Two in a row and Gavrilova is up a set and a double break. Australia are just one game away from the World Group. Gavrilova 6 5 - Lemoine 3 2 -
Scott Pryde
Expert
Now for a double break. Gavrilova 6 4 - AD Lemoine 3 2 -
Scott Pryde
Expert
Lemoine now puts a ball into the top of the net. Gavrilova 6 4 - Lemoine 3 2 - deuce (1)
Scott Pryde
Expert
Lemoine was absolutely dictating that point, but Gavrilova absorbs the big hitting with great defence, then changes the angle and Lemoine puts a low percentage runner into the net. Gavrilova 6 4 - 30 Lemoine 3 2 - 40
Scott Pryde
Expert
Oh my! What a backhand slice from Lemoine, getting it to side spin away from Gavrilova who was already at full stretch to reach the ball. Gavrilova 6 4 - 15 Lemoine 3 2 - 40
Scott Pryde
Expert
Good tennis at the moment from Lemoine. Gavrilova 6 4 - 15 Lemoine 3 2 - 30
Scott Pryde
Expert
Lemoine with a lovely drop shot this time and Gavrilova tries the defensive lob on the run, but it goes long. Gavrilova 6 4 - 15 Lemoine 3 2 - 15
Scott Pryde
Expert
Lemoine must hold here if she holds any hope of getting back into this. Not a good start though with Gavrilova opening up the court and putting a forehand away. Gavrilova 6 4 - 15 Lemoine 3 2 - 0
Scott Pryde
Expert
Gavrilova holds serve! Gavrilova 6 4 - Lemoine 3 2 -