Venus Williams helped the USA secure a spot in the Fed Cup World Group Playoffs on Sunday. Venus crushed Magda Linette in straight sets as the U.S. rolled over Poland in the weekend tie.
Venus Leaves Nothing to Chance
A day after struggling in the second singles rubber, a more relaxed Venus Williams took the court for Team USA in Hawaii. Windy conditions made things tricky for both players. Venus started with her serve in much better shape as she held in the opening game and it was even after two games with Linette holding at-love. Venus would fight through her next service game to edge ahead 2-1. The American would find herself in position to secure the first break of the match in game four. Linette struggled as she fell behind 0-40 and Venus finally converted on the third break point for a 3-1 lead. Venus seemed to adapt to the windy conditions better with a low ball toss used on serve as she zoomed out to a 4-1 lead. The Polish player again found herself in trouble on-serve in the next game as Venus saw two more break chances. She would convert to see the advantage grow to 5-1. She would close the set out with a solid service game.
The second set started much like the first with both women holding serve to open. Again in the third, it was Linette who cracked first. Venus would score her third break of the Polish player's serve to edge ahead 2-1. A quick hold put the American in a commanding 3-1 position. Linette would push through two deuces in her next service game to stay within a break at 3-2. Unlike Saturday when Venus Williams routinely gave breaks back in her match with Paula Kania, the 35-year-old stood tall this time. Venus would make a fairly simple hold in the sixth game and then get a bonus break in the seventh as she had an opportunity to wrap up the tie for the U.S. In the 8th and final game, nerves finally showed just a bit for Venus. She would save a break point first and then need three match points to finish off Linette 6-1, 6-2 in just over an hour.
Following the match, Venus was all smiles as she reflected on the win that sends Team USA into the World Group playoffs, "It's so exciting to be in a position to bring it home for the US. We had an awesome crowd here. It wasn't easy today with the wind, it took a lot of patience but I'm so excited that we're advancing."
Linette was gracious in defeat, saying that Venus did a better job of dealing with the windy conditions, “She’s much more experienced and she showed me some great tennis, and I really appreciate that – she never gave me anything and I see how far I still have to go to reach a better level. I’m glad I had that lesson."
Final Singles Rubber Scratched, USA Finishes Tie Off With Doubles Win
Since the U.S. had clinched the tie with their third win in the third singles rubber, the fourth and final singles rubber between Sloane Stephens and Paula Kania was cancelled. The two teams did finish off the tie with the scheduled doubles match. It saw Coco Vandeweghe and Bethanie Mattek-Sands battle Klaudia Jans-Ignacik and Alicja Rosolska. Both Vandweghe and Mattek-Sands would keep their perfect Fed Cup doubles' records intact by leading the USA to a 6-1, 7-5 win that gave the USA a 4-0 win over Poland for the tie. Vandeweghe moved to 3-0 all-time in doubles rubbers, while Mattek-Sands notched her 5th win against no losses in doubles play.