MOSCOW - Carla Suarez Navarro routed Nadia Petrova 6-0, 6-3 Sunday in reverse singles to give Spain its first point in the Fed Cup World Group first round match against Russia.
Maria Sharapova and Svetlana Kuznetsova easily won their opening singles to give Russia a 2-0 lead on Saturday.
Kuznetsova was scheduled to take on Silvia Soler-Espinosa in the second reverse singles.
Suarez Navarro rallied from 40-love in the opening game and won the rest of the games to close the set in 22 minutes. After an exchange of breaks early in the second set, the Spaniard broke decisively in the sixth game and wrapped up the win on her first match point as Petrova netted a forehand
"We were 2-0 down after the first day and I had to (take a) risk to win today," Suarez Navarro. "Now we have one point. I hope Silvia will also play better today."
After easy victories on Saturday, Russia captain Shamil Tarpischev replaced Sharapova — the original draw — with Petrova to make her eligible for the London Olympics.
Suarez Navarro said she was surprised with the substitution and added that "it was much better for me."
Petrova, who is 10-5 in Fed Cup matches and last played for Russia in 2009, couldn't find her rhythm through the entire match. She made 40 unforced mistakes and had only eight winners.
Russia has won the Fed Cup title four times since 2004 and is 5-1 against Spain, which won the title five times between 1991 and 1998.
The winner of the tie will play either Belgium or Serbia in the semifinals on April 21-22.
