BIRRELL’S REALITY CHECK:
GOLD Coast’s Kim Birrell found the power of Madison Keys too much to deal with in a Fed Cup loss which left the tie even after the first day.
Birrell’s international inexperience showed as she was outclassed by the heavy-hitting Keys, the 2017 US Open runner-up.
Keys, ranked 17th in the world, evened the tie with a convincing 6-2 6-2 win over world No. 157 Birrell at Asheville’s US Cellular Center indoor arena.
Earlier, Ash Barty won Saturday’s opening singles rubber 6-1, 7-6 (7-2) over American No. 2, Sofia Kenin in a convincing tune-up for her match against Keys to open the second and last day of the tie in North Carolina.
“I did the best I could but the weight behind her shot was definitely different to anything I have really felt before,” Birrell said. Birrell will be a ranking underdog if she is retained to play 37th ranked Kenin in the fourth singles rubber this morning (Australian time).
Under Fed Cup rules, the captains can replace either Birrell or Kenin, with Daria Gavrilova an option if Australian skipper Alicia Molik felt the loss had taken too much of an edge off Birrell, the 20-year-old Gold Coaster.
Australia’s hopes of reaching April’s tie against either Germany or Belarus rested largely on the shoulders of Barty, but she is happy to carry the load.
“No pressure at all,” Barty said
“For me it is an opportunity to go out there and play for my country and enjoy the fact I have the privilege of putting on the green and gold and wearing Australia on my back.”
THE WEIGHT BEHIND HER SHOT WAS DEFINITELY DIFFERENT TO ANYTHING I HAVE REALLY FELT BEFORE