Makarova puts Russia back on track

MOSCOW (AFP) –

Russia’s Yekaterina Makarova returns a ball to Slovakia’s Daniela Hantuchova during their Federation Cup tennis semi-final match in Moscow on April 21, 2013. Makarova pulled Russia level at 2-2 with Slovakia in their Fed Cup semi-final battle on Sunday, beating Hantuchova in a tough three-setter.

Russia’s Ekaterina Makarova pulled Russia level at 2-2 with Slovakia in their Fed Cup semi-final battle on Sunday, beating Daniela Hantuchova in a tough three-setter here.

Makarova won 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 in two hours 29 minutes to record her first ever win over Hantuchova in three attempts.

“Today I was in control in all three sets but failed to avoid mistakes and lost the second set,” Makarova said. “But I was hoping to clinch my first win over Hantuchova and luckily, I managed to do it. And I still have enough power to play doubles.”

Russia’s left-hander Makarova, who came onto the clay of Moscow’s Krylatskoye Sports Center as a replacement for Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, broke twice in the opening set to take the opening set in 40min.

In the second, Hantuchova, 29, broke her rival’s serve twice to level at one set-all .

In the decider, Hantuchova, ranked 75 in the world, broke Makarova’s serve in the first game but her 24-year-old rival broke back twice to win the set and the match sending the tie into the deciding doubles’ clash.

Earlier on Sunday, Maria Kirilenko beat Dominika Cibulkova in straight sets 7-5, 6-1 to reduce the arrears to 2-1.

Kirilenko, ranked 13th in the world, made light work of an opponent she has now beaten in three of their four meetings as she triumphed in 1hr 41min.

“After yesterday’s failure I managed to find my tennis today and it was the key to success in the match,” Kirilenko said.

“I played clinically trying to follow the plan which we worked out together with my coaches and it paid off.”

The opponents traded breaks throughout the opening set but the 26-year-old Muscovite prevailed eventually in 1hr 4min.

Despite 23-year-old Cibulkova breaking in the first game of the second set it proved a false dawn as Kirilenko won the next six games to claim victory.

On Saturday, Slovakia moved into a commanding 2-0 lead after Cibulkova had battled back from a set down to beat Pavlyuchenkova 5-7, 6-1, 6-4, while Hantuchova saw off Kirilenko 6-2, 6-4.

The winner will face either Italy or reigning champions Czech Republic in the Fed Cup final in November. Italy led the Czechs 2-0 after the opening day of their encounter.