Sharapova vs A.Radwanska | 2015 Fed Cup Highlights

They're in Singapore. Right, so this is a get from Sharapova. Absolute dead net cord. But we've seen many more drop shots lately. This year especially from Sharapova. I thought she'd made the right move. My goodness. We did see a few net cords. A lot of them dribble over yesterday. And the best there. Look what it means to her. Sharapova breaks immediately for the Russians. So good, even early on. Sharapova right in the groove here. Got her. First serve percentage was about 60% of the contest. This is a trademark. There she is. Certainly a tight one. She's kept the line. The thing is though, Jo, that seriously the pattern is being set early on. So Sharapova breaks here. It's not going to last. Pressure just grows and grows on. Agnieszka Rybaczka in that game. Eventually she can't handle it. I couldn't have imagined it to be that good. It's a razor sharp start to the contest. Sharapova's missed balls for once. Eventually. Rybaczka never ceases to amaze me, Jo. The ability to second guess where the pull away is going to go. Scrambling around her. Anticipation is amazing, but so is her physical ability. She's out of camera range there, more or less. She's back in it. Again, great intensity and focus from Sharapova. She got her. Couldn't see Fyodor Rybaczka. She did. Comes out of that game, saves three great points. You can see what it means to her. There's two things, I think. One, she knows how dangerous Rybaczka is. How about that to close the set out. Maria Sharapova takes the first set. And she puts Russia even closer to winning this tie here in Poland. It's too good. It's clinical. Out wide, one way. Rybaczka at her best. It's been a great point you make, Jo. Great point, Poland. No wonder she's annoyed with herself. Much better again. Very early again from Rybaczka, the difference there. Yeah, so she's taking it higher on the back. And uses that out wide serve. Big, big hole. The break point saved there again. Oh, she pulled an amazing get from Sharapova. Say trick shots, they were improper matches. But they were like trick shots in Miami. Yep. That was delightful. That's the best of the lot that we've seen from Sharapova. But she manages to survive that service game. That's brilliant serve again. Even if Rybaczka knows it's going there, it's just too good. Sharapova holds from 30 down. And she now leads by... Great point, Jo. I think you're explaining this right. It really is so good. The point construction, the execution, everything from Sharapova. Great point for Russia. Oh, she's made it. What a moment for Sharapova and for Russia. And is that the moment where they begin to put the closing stages on this rubber and on the tyre as a whole. Fantastic shot. Because Rybaczka gave that everything she had. And look, a flip. That's all it was. It's good. Trading our voices there. We thought this one, Rybaczka got it wrong. Just good enough. Was it? It was well. It's well delivered, isn't it? A couple of games away from losing this tie on home soil to Russia. Sharapova now a set and for one. A couple of games from defeat. Rybaczka here. Drop shot kind of provides the foundation. Jo, I'm interested with this as Sharapova. I mean, I watch her pretty much every round in Melbourne. I mean, I'm probably stoked. I covered her a bit as well through January. This use of the drop shot though on hardcourt is... Maybe this is a Sven Grunewald thing. I don't know. Massive use of it in this match. Yeah, I know. She's been using it all year. Definitely a different tactic. But it's the follow-up she's doing well too. You know, moving better. It's been a winning game. Still is. Not just this weekend, but... Interesting discussion to be had about her game and where she's at. Clearly still an extremely good player. Yes, it's a big year for her. I mean, it's just absolutely superb movement from Sharapova there. First class. For anything here. Oh, well played. The ball there. Really good point. A return. Probably her best. Not yet breaking through. She's left frustrated. Nothing she could do about that one. Comes through a difficult service game again. Break point there for Radvanska. Radvanska serving to stay in the rubber. 2-5 second set. Sharapova there. Time to start for the pole. Oh, I love it. Oh, for Radvanska. That was a chance. She's done so well to get back into the point. Oh, what a serve. That was just long. Wow. Listen to this. Score Radvanska. Well, great defending. I think it's going to be that forehand. Someone who's so experienced, but clearly Sharapova feeling it a bit. The fight back continues now. Two points saved there by Radvanska to keep Poland alive. That's a terrific serve actually. Sharapova ends the run of three consecutive games won by Radvanska here. Maria Sharapova seals Russia's spot in the bed-cuck like the MP Paribas. World League semi-finals. That became quite tricky in the end for the Russian, but all the same, she completes a straight sets victory. It is the four-time former champions who are safely through to the final four. Well, I think some nerves are still actually in the end there for Sharapova after a little bit of a wobble at 5-0. Maria, you should be satisfied because it was really hard work made by you, especially in the second set. And your win means that your team, that Russia, get the success during the first set. Yeah, it's the first time I've ever been in that position to clinch that win. I felt that responsibility became really tough in the end, but I'm so happy I came through. Well, I think on this court especially it's a really good weapon to have because the ball stays quite slow and doesn't bounce out much. So it was really something I've definitely improved in my game and worked really well for me today. Your time in Krakow is slowly going to the end. It's your first time here in Krakow. You spent here a few days. It was good time, nice time for you? Well, of course, the victory makes it so much better. But ever since I got here, I've had such a great time. I've had my family here from Russia supporting me and we've been able to explore the city. Everyone has been so kind to our team and I think all of us, including the captain, are very thankful. Thank you very much and maybe in the future, next time, all time in Krakow will be waiting for you. On vacation. On vacation, thank you.