Kerber steers Germany into Fed Cup semis

BRATISLAVA, Slovakia: Germany reached the semifinals of the Fed Cup on Sunday after Angelique Kerber won the first reverse singles to clinch the first-round series against Slovakia 3-0.

Ninth-ranked Kerber defeated Australian Open finalist Dominika Cibulkova 6-3, 7-6 (5) on the indoor hard court at Bratislava´s National Tennis Center for the first German victory in the Fed Cup World Group since 2002.

Germany will face Australia in April.Kerber converted her first match point in a tiebreaker when Cibulkova´s forehand went wide.

Kerber broke Cibulkova three times in the opening set which she clinched with a forehand winner.

Germany took a commanding lead 2-0 lead in the best-of-five series on Saturday after Kerber overcame Daniela Hantuchova 7-6 (9), 6-1 and Andrea Petkovic upset Cibulkova 2-6, 7-6 (7), 6-2. (AP)