MOSCOW (AP) Last year's finalist Russia suffered a surprise first-round defeat in the Fed Cup on Sunday as the Netherlands built an unassailable 3-0 lead.
With Russian No. 1 Maria Sharapova only scheduled to play the final doubles rubber because of a shoulder injury, Russia had suffered two losses on the opening day before Kiki Bertens secured the win for the Dutch in Sunday's first rubber, beating Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-1, 6-4.
Kuznetsova had come into her encounter with Bertens tired from a four-hour marathon loss to Richel Hogenkamp on Saturday, the longest rubber in Fed Cup history.
The Dutch, without a player ranked in the top 100, had been considered major underdogs against a Russian team whose lowest ranked player, Daria Kasatkina, is No. 61.
