China loses best chance to play in Fed Cup final
28 April 2008 .......................................................................

BEIJING, April 27 - China lost to Spain 1-4 here on Sunday to miss the best opportunity to be the first ever Asian finalist in Fed Cup final, while Spain returned after six-years' absence to fight for the title they missed for almost ten years.

Spain took a 2-0 lead against host to move within one win of a place in the final after Saturday's two rubbers of singles.

Nineteen-year-old Carla Suarez Navarro, gave Spain a surprise lead by beating Peng Shuai 6-3, 7-6 (7-4) before the more experienced Nuria Llagostera Vives downed Zheng Jie 6-3, 6-4.

Vives went on to defeat Peng Shuai 6-4, 6-4 in the third rubberto make sure that Spain would be the finalist in Fed Cup after they were beat by Slovakia in 2002 Fed Cup final.

Zheng Jie defeated Navarro 7-6 (7-5), 6-3. She admitted that the victory came too late.

"It was a pity that we failed to qualify to the final. I hope to play better in next year's Fed Cup." said Zheng Jie.

Complete Results :-
SPAIN defeated CHINA, P.R. 4-1

Beijing International Tennis Center, Beijing, China, P.R. (hard – indoors)
Carla Suarez-Navarro (ESP) d. Shuai Peng (CHN) 63 76(4)
Nuria Llagostera Vives (ESP) d. Jie Zheng (CHN) 63 64
Nuria Llagostera Vives (ESP) d. Shuai Peng (CHN) 64 64
Jie Zheng (CHN) d. Carla Suarez-Navarro (ESP) 76(5) 63
Maria-Jose Martinez Sanchez/Nuria Llagostera Vives (ESP) d. Shuai Peng/Tian-Tian Sun (CHN) 62 61