FED CUP DELRAY BEACH – DAY ONE
Sofia Arvidsson def. Sloane Stephens 6-4, 4-6, 6-1
In the first game, Arvidsson broke…then served to go up 2-love. Sloane won the next three games, was broken at 4-all, and lost the first set 4-6.
In the second set, Sloane found her rhythm, and jumped out to a 3-love lead with a break in the second game. Sofia Arvidsson then won three straight with a break in the 5th. At 3-all, both held serve, then a timely break by Sloane up 5-4 gave her the set and evened the match.
A quick shower delayed the start of the final set, where Sofia Arvidsson turned up the pace in wind-swirled conditions. She broke Sloane in the first and third games and catapulted herself to a 4-love lead.
Disgusted with her own mis-hits and unforced errors – thrown-off by the change in conditions and 15-degree drop in temperature – the hole was too deep for Sloane to climb out of; she lost the final set 1-6, leaving Team USA down 0-1 in the Playoff Tie.
Serena Williams def. Johanna Larsson 6-2, 6-2
After some lightening, thunder, a heavy downpour and 45-minutes of court-drying – Serena Williams and Johanna Larsson took the stage. Serena jumped out to a 3-love lead, Johanna then held her next two service games, but Serena broke again, wailing “Come on!” while driving a winner up the line to take the first set 6-2.
First game of the second set, Larsson had double break-point on Serena; but Williams powered back, won the game and dominated the set. Johanna was playing well, battled through several deuce points on her second service game, but the wheels came off with Serena’s break. Johanna held her next service game, but the damage was done. Serena won the match with a final break of serve, 6-2 in the second set.
Day Two gets underway starting at 12:30 on Sunday with the Closing Day Ceremony. Scheduled to play:
- Sofia Arvidsson vs. Serena Williams
- Johanna Larsson vs. Sloane Stephens
- Sofia Arvidsson and Johanna Larsson vs. Varvara Lepchenko and Venus Williams
Unfortunately, there is a very decent chance for more rain and thunderstorms in the forecast, so it could be a late finish at the Delray Beach Tennis Center.
