TT eliminated from 2019 Fed Cup

TT were eliminated from the 2019 Fed Cup, after they failed to progress from Group B in the Americas Zone Group II stage, at the National Tennis Centre, Guayaquil, Ecuador.

Bahamas won the four-team group, with a perfect record of three wins in their three contests. Bolivia were second with two wins out of three, TT were third with only one win and Bermuda were at the bottom with three defeats.

Yesterday, hosts Ecuador registered a 2-1 victory over TT, in their final tie of the round-robin group.

Daniele La Fuente Strassburger defeated TT’s captain Carlista Mohammed 6-4, 6-3 in the first singles match, with Noelia Zeballos following up with a narrow 7-5, 7-6(7) win over Breana Stampfli in the second singles game.

But Mohammed and Stampfli combined in the doubles to get the better of Susan Salinas and Sofia Taborga Rollano 7-5, 6-7(5), 6-0.

On Wednesday, TT had a comfortable 3-0 triumph over Bermuda.

Stampfli trounced Shelby Madeiros 6-0, 6-0, Yolande Leacock whipped Ashley Brooks 6-1, 6-3 and the doubles pair of Rose and Stampfli blanked Brooks and Kirstin Saltus 6-0, 6-3.

But Bahamas got a decisive 2-1 win in their tie against TT on Thursday.

Stampfli took care of Danielle Thompson 6-3, 6-2 but an injury to Leacock was crucial as she had to retire hurt before the third set in her match against Kerrie Cartwright. Leacock won the first set 6-4 but Cartwright responded with a 2-6 win in the second set.

The tie was locked at 1-1 but Bahamas prevailed when it mattered most, as their doubles team of Cartwight and Simone Pratt defeated Rose and Stampfli 6-4, 6-3.

The Bahamas will join Ecuador, Peru and Mexico in a play-off to determine which nation will advance to the Americas Zone Group I in 2019.