Pacific Oceania were drawn in the more difficult Pool A when play commenced yesterday in Hua Hin, Thailand. The format is a Round Robin with 2 Pools. Pool A (5 teams-Draws) and pool B (6 teams-Draws b). Pacific Oceania have been drawn in the same pool as Philippines (ranked 48), Hong Hong (61-who were relegated from Group 1 last year), Iran (77) and Bahrain (not ranked). the winners of Pool A and B play off with one team being promoted.
On Day 1 Pacific Oceania were drawn against Hong Kong. Abigail Tere-Apisah got Pacific Oceania off to the perfect start when she beat Man Ying Maggie (ranked 1200) 26,61,75 saving a match point at 54 in the final set.
In the #1 singles World # 290 Ling Zhang eventually prevailed against Steffie Carruthers 75,63. In the doubles decider the Hong Kong team of Chung-Wing Sher/Ling Zhang beat Steffie Carruthers/Abigail Tere-Apisah 63,62 with the former struggling with a back injury which affected her movement.
Day 1 results can be accessed here for Pool A Draws Monday and for Pool B Draws Monday . On Tuesday Pacific Oceania play Iran at 10am local time
To see live scoring during matches, use this link:
www.fedcup.tennis-live-scores.com/scoreboard.html
A few days earlier the Pacific Oceania Team attended the Official Dinner
and Opening Ceremony
