Fed Cup: India beats Kazakhstan, takes fifth place

India, which had graduated from Group 2 last season, outplayed Uzbekistan in the third match of the league.

Ankita Raina had an easy time as Kazakhstan's Yaroslava Shvedova retired from their singles match after first set.

The Indian team subdued Kazkahstan 3-0 to clinch the fifth place in the Fed Cup Asia-Oceania Group 1 women’s tennis tournament in Hua Hin, Thailand, on Saturday.

It was an impressive performance by India, after it went down fighting to host Thailand in the first match of the league. The team, strengthened by World No.1 Sania Mirza for doubles, fought better against Japan in the second match in which Ankita Raina beat World No. 56 Nao Hibino.

India, which had graduated from Group 2 last season, outplayed Uzbekistan in the third match of the league. Incidentally, the strong Uzbek team was relegated to Asia-Oceania Group 2 as it was beaten 3-0 by Korea in the play-off.

In the promotional play-off, Chinese Taipei beat Japan to qualify for the World Group-II play-off.

Results (fifth place): India bt Kazakhstan 3-0 (Prerna Bhambri bt Galina Voskoboeva 6-2, 4-6, 6-2; Ankita Raina bt Yaroslava Shvedova 7-6(2) retd.; Ankita Raina & Prarthana Thombare w/o. Yaroslava Shvedova & Galina Voskoboeva).

Promotiional play-off: Chinese Taipei bt Japan 2-1 (Kai-Chen Chang lost to Kurumi Nara 1-6, 4-6; Su-Wei Hsieh bt Nao Hibino 4-6, 6-3, 6-3; Hao-Ching Chan & Yung-Jan Chan bt Shuko Aoyama & Eri Hozumi 6-3, 6-3).