It was a dramatic ending to the Fed Cup by BNP Paribas Asia/Oceania Zone Group I Relegation Playoff in Bangkok last weekend, as Zhang Ling (WTA 412) and Jessica Yang (ITF 49) held three set points in the twelfth game of the opening set against Sania Mirza (WTA 29) and Sunitha Rao (195) before the Indians eventually took the deciding doubles, 7-6(6), 6-2.

With the 2-1 victory, India retains its Group I status for 2009. The territory, however, will have to battle the likes of Amina Rakhim in Group II next year after the Koreans edged Kazakhstan in a promotion playoff.

Mirza, who displaced Li Na (WTA 32) as the Asian No. 1 following the Australian Open, was seen with a heavily strapped hamstring during the mixed doubles final at Melbourne Park. Since arriving in Bangkok, she has not taken part in any of the matches up until Saturday's 7th-8th Place Playoff. She also withdrew from this week's Tier IV US$170,000 Pattaya Women's Open where she was a semifinalist in 2007 and the number two seed this year.

Therefore, she was not expected to start unless it came down to a must-win situation, for as long as her hamstring can hold up, of course.

In terms of ranking, it was evident that India did not field their best two players who were there for the singles rubbers against HK, since neither Sunitha Rao (WTA 195) nor Sania Mirza (WTA 29) was called into action until the doubles.

First up in the 7th-8th Place Playoff, Jessica Yang took on former WTA No. 122, Shikha Uberoi (now 795), at the two spot. Having trailed 6-1 and 4-0 at one stage, she managed to break back twice and actually had a set point late in that second set, which landed just a tad too long. Uberoi then managed to break again to seal a 6-1, 7-5 victory to put India 1-0 up.

For the second match in a row, Zhang Ling (WTA 412) was faced with a player who did not possess an overwhelming superiority in terms of rank. In fact, the last time they met, Zhang Ling took the opening set against Isha Lakhani (WTA 349) in the semifinals of the C25 Pune in November 2007 before the No. 8 seed from India won, 1-6, 6-4, 6-1. This time round, however, Zhang Ling turned the tables on the lefthander, winning it in straight sets, 7-5, 6-2, to send the tie into a deciding doubles.

Nevertheless, in terms of doubles ranking, Rao (WTA 122) and Mirza (23) had a huge advantage.

After a nervous start that saw Zhang Ling and Jessica Yang fall behind 3-0, they managed to claw their way back in front by holding three set points – two when Mirza was serving at 5-6, 15-40 down, and then another one following the first deuce. A couple of reflex volleys that did not come off the centre of their opponents' racquets saw India fortuitously save the first two set points, while a sweetly struck down the line attempt by Jessica landed just wide by the slightest of margins on the third.

Mirza, whose hamstring problem was threatening to resurface again, managed to hold to force a tiebreak. The Indians again got out of the blocks first and although the HK duo managed to cut the lead, a second spurt by Mirza and Rao saw them win the all-important opening set, 8-6, in the breaker. The second set was a similar story, with the Indians jumping out to a healthy lead before Zhang Ling and Jessica Yang made a brief revival, only to see another run of games by Mirza and Rao that eventually closed it out, 6-2.

"This was the girls' third doubles match here this week and they've improved with each subsequent outing. Against Mirza and Rao, who are ranked 23 and 122 respectively in doubles, our team played incredible tennis just to keep up, let alone having set points on Mirza's serve in that opening set. Luck deserted us when Mirza and Rao hit those two off centre volleys when we drilled the ball straight at them low and hard. Had we taken one of those three set points, anything could have happened," said Hong Kong Fed Cup Captain, Venant Shum.

Consider this: While Mirza has a hamstring problem that is only going to worsen with prolonged play, Rao was having her own issues to deal with. Standing in as the anchor in both singles and doubles in place of Mirza, Rao played three singles and two doubles matches in the round robins (out of a possible six), and lost them all – highlighted by energy and morale-sapping three-set losses to Sandy Gumulya in both singles and doubles on opening day that went on for hours.

Not only did Rao lose to Casey Dellacqua, Marina Erakovic, and Sandy Gumulya in succession in the round robins in singles alone, since reaching the final of the C50 San Francisco last October, she had lost in the opening round of every tournament (five) leading up to the Fed Cup. Given their physical and mental well-being, winning (or losing) the opening set of the deciding doubles could not have been more vital to the outcome of the match.

The strongest team awaiting Hong Kong in Group II next year will be Kazakhstan, who could just as well have won the playoff against Korea if not for Madina Rakhim's retirement against Lee Jin-A in the opening singles, considering Lee Ye-Ra's, 6-3, 2-6, 7-6(4), victory over Amina Rakhim at the one spot could have gone either way.

Madina Rakhim was a mainstay of NCAA Women's Division I Wichita State University during the 2006 and 2007 seasons. At number one singles, she went 27-1 in dual matches in her senior year, with just one more loss coming against 9th-ranked Megan Moulton-Levy (William & Mary) at the season-ending NCAA Division I Singles Championships. Madina Rakhim was ITA Senior Player of the Year for the Central Region in 2007.

The strength of Philippines' line-up will depend on the availability of UCLA No. 1, Riza Zalameda, as both Czarina-Mae Arevalo and Denise Dy were no match for Lee-Jin-A and Lee Ye-Ra. Zhang Ling is 1-0 against Lee Ye-Ra and 1-1 lifetime against Denise Dy , while Venise Chan is 2-0 against Lee Jin-A in ITF Women's Circuit events, 1-0 against Denise Dy, and 2-0 lifetime against Arevalo. Jessica Yang lost in three tiebreak sets, 7-6(0), 6-7(5), 6-7(4), to Lee Jin-A at the C10 Bangkok in 2006 and was a losing finalist to Denise Dy at the Grade 4 ITF Thailand Open in 2005.

Also in Bangkok over the weekend was the Group I final between Uzbekistan and New Zealand. First up, two-time defending Asian Championships winner, Iroda Tulyaganova (WTA 315), gave Uzbekistan the lead by beating Sacha Jones, 4-6, 6-1, 6-2. It was the third match in a row this week she had come from a set down to win the opening singles for her team. However, Akgul Amanmuradova (WTA 97), the 2005 Asian Championships winner, went down in straight sets, 6-4, 7-6(3), to Kiwi number one, Marina Erakovic (WTA 149), thus sending the playoff to a deciding doubles.

The Uzbek one-two then combined for a come-from-behind win against Erakovic and Leanne Baker, 4-6, 6-2, 7-6(7), to secure their nation's passage to the World Group II Playoffs in April. In winning the Group I Playoffs this year, Uzbekistan thus achieved its best showing in the Fed Cup since joining the competition in 1995.

Meanwhile, Zheng Jie and Yan Zi beat Nathalie Dechy and Virginie Razzano, 7-5, 7-6(5), in the deciding doubles to give China a 3-2 win over France in Beijing to put China through to the World Group semifinals for the first time since joining the Fed Cup in 1981. National number one, Li Na, holds the all time records in Most Total Wins (32-10), Most Singles Wins (24-4), Most Ties Played (28), and Most Years Played (7).

Results
Fed Cup by BNP Paribas
Asia/Oceania Zone Group I 2008
LTAT National Tennis Development Center (outdoor hardcourts)
Bangkok, Thailand
28 January-3 February 2008

1st – 2nd Place Playoff

UZBEKISTAN defeated NEW ZEALAND   2 - 1
R-1 Iroda Tulyaganova (UZB) d. Sacha Jones (NZL) 4-6 6-1 6-2
R-2 Marina Erakovic (NZL) d. Akgul Amanmuradova (UZB) 6-4 7-6(3)
R-3 A. Amanmuradova/I. Tulyaganova (UZB) d. M. Erakovic/L. Baker (NZL) 4-6 6-2 7-6(7)

Uzbekistan advances to World Group II Playoffs

7th – 8th Place Playoff

INDIA defeated HONG KONG   2 - 1
R-1 Shikha Uberoi (IND) d. Yang Zi-Jun (HKG) 6-1 7-5
R-2 Zhang Ling (HKG) d. Isha Lakhani (IND) 7-5 6-2
R-3 Sania Mirza/Sunitha Rao (IND) d. Zhang Ling/Yang Zi-Jun (HKG) 7-6(6) 6-2

Hong Kong relegated to Asia/Oceania Zone Group II in 2009

Results
Fed Cup by BNP Paribas World Group 2008
Beijing International Tennis Centre, China (indoor hardcourts)
2-3 February 2008

Quarterfinals

CHINA defeated FRANCE   3 - 2
R-1 Li Na (CHN) d. Alize Cornet (FRA) 6-3 6-1
R-2 Peng Shuai (CHN) d. Virginie Razzano (FRA) 4-6 6-3 6-4
R-3 Virginie Razzano (FRA) d. Li Na (CHN) 4-6 6-2 6-4
R-4 Nathalie Dechy (FRA) d. Yan Zi (CHN) 6-3 6-2
R-5 Yan Zi/Zheng Jie (CHN) d. Nathalie Dechy/Virginie Razzano (FRA) 7-5 7-6(5)

Jessica Yang photo courtesy of Jiro