FED CUP GERMANY-SPAIN

 (Translation from EL MUNDO (20/04/1998))

Spain wins in doubles and defeats Germany in the Fed Cup

Spain survives an unexpected disaster in Saarbrücken

    In the last and definitive match, Conchita Martínez and Magüi Serna defeated Wiltrud Probst and Andrea Glass by 6-4 and 7-6 (7-5) and defeated Germany by 3-2 in the quarterfinals in the Fed Cup. Spain will face USA in semifinals on the 26th and 27th of July.

    Conchita, who also lost her single on Saturday, disappointed again losing to Andrea Glass by 3-6, 6-3 and 6-2, and Magüi confirmed her category winning for the second time, this time she defeated Jana Kandarr by 6-3 and 6-4.

    After Arantxa Sánchez Vicario’s withdrawal due to an injury in her wrist, Conchita was supposed to lead the Spanish team and Spain was still favourite against a weak German team without Steffi Graf and Anke Huber due to injuries.

    However, her defeats against two almost unknown players such as Kandarr, 102 in the ranking, and Glass, 62th, showed the bad form and lack of motivation of the last Australian Open subchampion. However, Magüi Serna, a 19-year-old Canarian player who made her debut in this competition in 1997, insisted on taking the team’s reins.

    On Saturday, she defeated easily the German number one, Glass, and yesterday she defeated Kandarr easily, a player who trains with the same man who discovered Conchita and Magüi, the Dutchman Eric Van Harpen.

    After the four single matches had been played, the double should decide the eliminatory. Both captains changed their initial teams. Margets bet on the most important player in this eliminatory, Serna, to play together with Conchita, excluding Virginia Ruano.

    The German captain, Markus Schur, decided that Glass played with the veteran Probst instead of Meike Babel. The Spaniards, more solid,  dominated the game in the net, returned with confidence, served with power and gave the win to Spain.

    The next rival will be the powerful team of USA that destroyed Holland by 5-0 with Monica Seles and Lindsay Davenport.

Scores

    Germany 2 Spain 3: Andrea Glass (GER) defeated Conchita Martínez (ESP) by 3-6, 6-3 y 6-2. Magüi Serna (ESP) defeated Jana Kandarr (GER) by 6-3 and 6-4. Conchita Martínez and Magüi Serna (ESP) defeated Andrea Glass and Wiltrud Probst (GER), by 6-4 and 7-6 (7-5).
 

(Translation)

MAGÜI LEADS SPAIN TO SEMIFINALS

    The Canarian was splendid and Spain will play now against the USA

    The Spanish Fed Cup team qualified yesterday for the semifinals with a close win by 2-3 against Germany in Saarbrücken. The performance of the Canarian Magüi Serna, who won yesterday her single point and the definitive doubles point together with Conchita Martínez, was decisive.

    The last day of competition began with a draw: 1-1, and although Martínez lost the first match of the day against Andrea Glass by 3-6, 6-3 and 6-2, Serna got the 2-2 after defeating Jana Kandarr by 6-3 and 6-4. The decisive point in the doubles was for the Spanish couple formed by Conchita and Magüi, who made their debut as a ‘duo’ and got the win against Probst and Glass, by 6-4 and 7-6 (7-5).

    Miguel Margets’ team will play the semifinals, on the 25th  and 26th of July, against the USA, which defeated Holland by 3-0. The other semifinal will be played between Switzerland, which defeated the Czech Republic, and France, which defeated Belgium.