Thailand Meets Philippines for Relegation Play-off
Thailand will have to beat the Philippines to avoid being relegated to group II next year after losing to Kazakhstan 0-3 in the Pool A round-robin stage of the Fed Cup Zone Asia/Oceania Qualifying Group I tie in Astana on Friday.
Coming to the tie with no points from the tie against South Korea on Thursday, Thailand needed a miraculous 3-0 win over the top seed host but hope evaporated quickly from the first rubber when Nicha Lertpitaksinchai was tamed by Galina Voskoboeva 1-6 1-6 in just 69 minutes.
Then Thai No 1 Luksika Kumkhum was outclassed by world No 27 Yulia Putintseva 1-6 3-6 in 79 minutes. Thailand, as a result, finished bottom of the pool and will play Pool B’s bottom finisher Philippines in the relegation play-off.
“Our players already gave their all out there but Kazak players were too good. They also needed this win to reach the final and they had the crowd support behind them,” said Tamarine Tanasugarn the team captain.
“It’s been a long time since we last played to avoid relegation. We will maximize our effort to maintain our status in Group I.”
In the doubles, Kamonwan Buayam and Peangtarn Plipuech lost to Kamila Kerimbayeva and Yaroslava Shvedova 2-6 5-7.
