Australia have not only provided Germany with a passage to their first Fed Cup final since 1992, they’ve also provided their opponents with some comfortable sleepwear.
Germany completed a 3-1 victory over Australia in Brisbane on Sunday, and revealed they’d made a pact.
“We’ll be flying home in pyjamas, that was the deal,” team member Andrea Petkovic said.
The team had previously said they would don nightwear, which were gifts from the Australian team, for the 24-hour flight home via Dubai if they won.
Angelique Kerber put Germany into the final in 22 years – where they will meet the Czech Republic in November – with a fighting victory over Samantha Stosur.
World number seven Kerber fought back from dropping the opening set to beat former US Open champion Stosur 4-6 6-0 6-4 in two hours 14 minutes to give Germany an unassailable 3-0 lead.
The Australian pair of Casey Dellacqua and Ashleigh Barty prevented a wipe-out when they claimed the “dead” doubles rubber 6-2 6-7 10-2 over Julia Goerges and Anna-Lena Groenefeld.
“It’s a very special moment for me and the whole team,” Kerber said.
“It feels great. I played a good match but it was a tough one because Sam was playing also very tough and I have never beaten her before.”
Stosur was disappointed with the result, though not the effort.
“It was overall reasonably disappointing, especially when you don’t get through,” Stosur said.
“I don’t know if I can fight any harder than I did in that match.”
Meanwhile, the Czech Republic defeated defending champions Italy in the other semi-final.
Petra Kvitova, the world number six and a former Wimbledon champion, saw off 20th-ranked Roberta Vinci 6-3 7-5 in an hour-and-a-half to hand the Czechs an unassailable 3-0 lead.
Klara Koukalova and Andrea Hlavackova then earned the fourth point for the hosts after beating Camila Giorgi and Karin Knapp 6-2 5-7 11-9 in the dead doubles rubber.
“I’m happy we’ve made it and it will be a pleasure for the whole country to host the final again,” said Kvitova, praising her fellow players as “a superb team”.
