Descent prevents: The German tennis ladies remain in the Fed Cup in the world group of top nations. The 28-year-old Mona Barthel made for the relegation match in Latvia for an unassailable 3-0 lead by the German team against the hosts.
Barthel won in Riga 6: 4, 6: 3 against former French Open winner Jelena Ostapenko. Barthel stepped in for Julia Görges, who had barely prevailed against Diana Marcinkevica on Friday and was not taken as a precautionary measure. The other point had Andrea Petkovic brought to the prelude, also against Ostapenko.
Barthel had even moved into the team because of a disease of Wimbledon winner Angelique Kerber - and then even in place of Görges, the nominal number one Germany, used. Barthel played confidently and turned her first match ball safely - by ace.
"I'm so sorry for Angie that she got sick, on the other hand, I was glad that I was re-nominated and then ultimately allowed to play," Barthel said. It is "always a special pressure in the Fed Cup, if you play for the team, you would of course be particularly good."