Caroline Garcia photo by Christopher Levy @tennis_shots
(April 20, 2014) The Fed Cup World Group Play-off tie between France and the USA came down to the final match – the doubles rubber. The doubles team of Caroline Garcia and Virginie Razzano led France to a 3-2 victory over the United States on Sunday with 6-2, 7-5 over Sloane Stephens and Madison Keys at the Chaifetz Arena on the campus of Saint Louis University.
“She was totally amazing, unbelievable,” France captain Amelie Mauresmo said of Garcia who also won both of her singles rubbers. “She really rose to the occasion and was fearless.”
“Again with both singles and doubles, with the help of Virginie in the doubles. “I think she loved Fed Cup.”I’m happy for her.”
“She really stood up to the occasion, she rose to this occasion being fearless completely, being great, and supported by the whole group, the whole team.”
“She was the star of the weekend,” USA captain Mary Jo Fernandez said pf Garcia. “I never thought that she got nervous in any of the matches. She’s really aggressive and it’s all coming together.”
“I like her game a lot. I’ve liked it for a long time. She’s much more disciplined now with her shot selection.
“She’s a great athlete. She didn’t miss many returns today in the doubles, and in the singles she was really aggressive. So I like her game. I’ve always liked her game. Now it’s all coming together.”
In Sunday’s first match of the day, Sloane Stephens, the United States’ top-ranked player, faced Virginie Razzano, who replaced Alize Cornet in singles after Cornet suffered a leg injury. Stephens won her first-ever Fed Cup singles match, defeating Razzano, 6-2, 6-4, in one hour and seven minutes. Stephens and Razzano had never played each other before this tie. Stephens is now 1-2 in singles play in Fed Cup competition and Razzano is 10-5.
The second singles match featured Madison Keys, 19, and Caroline Garcia, 20, where Garcia won her second singles match this weekend, defeating Keys, 6-4, 6-3. Garcia won her first WTA singles title last weekend in Bogota, Colombia, as well as the doubles title. Keys is now 1-2 in Fed Cup singles play.
France’s win means they have qualified for the World Group in 2015 and will compete for the Fed Cup championship. The U.S. will compete in World Group II in 2015 for just the second time since the World Group format was instituted in 1995 (the U.S. competed in the World Group II in 2012).