Bencic upsets Kerber to give Switzerland 2-1 lead in Fed Cup
LEIPZIG, Germany (AP) Belinda Bencic upset Australian Open champion Angelique Kerber 7-6 (4), 6-3 to give Switzerland a 2-1 lead over Germany in their Fed Cup first-round tie on Sunday.
The 18-year-old Bencic, ranked 11th, came from 1-4 down to win the first set tiebreak and she needed just one match point to seal the win in 1 hour, 32 minutes.
No. 2-ranked Kerber appeared out of sorts eight days after claiming her first Grand Slam title in a three-set victory over Serena Williams in Melbourne.
Timea Bacsinszky could seal Switzerland's progress to April's semifinals with a win over the 39th-ranked Annika Beck in the fourth rubber ahead of the doubles match.
Bencic defeated Andrea Petkovic 6-3, 6-4 and Kerber beat Bacsinszky 6-1, 6-3 on Saturday.
Germany holds a 4-1 record over Switzerland.
