Tennis: Safarova, Ivanovic to open Fed Cup final

Safarova to play with Ivanovic in first singles rubber of Fed Cup.

PRAGUE: Lucie Safarova of holders Czech Republic will take on Serbia’s Ana Ivanovic in the first singles rubber of the Fed Cup final today. Safarova, the world number 17 and Czech number two, will face world number 12 Ivanovic, who is Serbia’s number one.

“I definitely feel a little bit of pressure, but it’s like that before every match you play,” Ivanovic, a former world number one, told reporters. But Ivanovic faces a tough challenge as the left-handed Safarova has beaten her in their last three encounters, the most recent being this year in Sydney.

“Statistically, I’m on top,” said Safarova. “She is an excellent player but I’ll do my best.” In the second rubber on Saturday, Czech number one Petra Kvitova will face Serbia’s number two Jelena Jankovic.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 3^rd, 2012.