Just back from Fort-Worth in Texas where she brilliantly won the WTA Masters against Aryna Sabalenka (7-6, 6-4) last Monday, Caroline Garcia finished the job perfectly for the Blues this Saturday as part of the Billie Jean King Cup.
Julien Benneteau's players were playing against the Netherlands in a play-off match which, if successful, should keep them in the first world division.
A victory confirmed this Saturday by the French number 1, winner without trembling of Lesley Kerkhove (6-2, 6-3).
🔥 @CaroGarcia brings his point to the building 🇫🇷 by beating Kerkhove!
France beat the Netherlands 3-0 and stay in the @BJKcup world group
đź‘Źđź‘Źđź‘Ź pic.twitter.com/0DDGZxU8ra
— FFT (@FFTennis) November 12, 2022
What validate a fairly clear success for the Blue (3-0), even if Diane Parry had to work Friday against Suzan Lamens to bring the second point to France.
Already largely dominated by Alizé Cornet in the inaugural match (6-2, 6-0), the unfortunate Lesley Kerkhove this time suffered the onslaught of Caroline Garcia, the new world number 4.
“We can aim even higher”
The Lyonnaise was never worried this Saturday and showed no apparent sign of fatigue after her glorious American week.
Showing an excellent level of play, she easily won the first set (6-2) in barely half an hour in front of the public of Portel (Pas-de-Calais) logically won over to her cause.
Hanging on at 5-3 in the second set, during the decisive game, Caroline Garcia gave the gas enough to contain the attempted revolt of the Dutch.
A success in two rounds and 1h22 of play which allows the troop of Julien Benneteau to validate their maintenance in the elite of this Billie Jean King Cup.
Read alsoTennis: from 74th place in the world to the Masters final, Caroline Garcia's incredible season
“It's really an immense joy to be able to be part of this team.
I wanted to participate and contribute something.
We are lucky to have a solid team and Diane was there for her first.
There was immense pressure, we don't often play in France so we wanted to show things.
The France team deserves to be in the first division, ”reacted the person concerned at the microphone of BeIN Sports.
And the captain of the Bleues Julien Benneteau to confide his great ambition for the 2023 edition: "with a full team, we can aim even higher".
And why not a victory like in 2019, during the last edition of the Fed Cup, the old format of the competition.
With Caroline Garcia in a state of grace as the head of the gondola, all dreams are permitted.
