Helped by the last minute withdrawal of the injured Henrieta Nagyova, Thai No 2 Suchanan played a consistent game to beat

an error-prone Dominika Cibulkova 6-4 6-4 in a long baseline battle which took one hour, 51 minutes.

But Lubomira Kurhajcova levelled the tie for the visitors by stunning Tamarine Tanasugarn 2-6 6-4 6-0 in the second rubber. After taking the first set effortlessly, Tamarine did not pose much of a challenge in the second half of the match due to an injured right ankle.

“It’s a pity Tamarine is not 100 per cent, but I hope her condition will improve on Sunday. But I would rather see us win the tie by the fourth rubber because the doubles is unpredictable,” said Thai team captain Vittaya Samreg, who believes Suchanan is good enough to handle the hard-hitting Kurhajcova.

“If Suchanan can stick to her game plan and play solidly, she has a chance. She has to play like Tamarine in the first set to beat Kurhajcova.”

Tamarine just recovered from a knee injury only to pick up a new injury on her left ankle yesterday. She said she needed rest and hoped for a quick recovery.

“I need help from a trainer to make me feel better. I need to rest as much as possible,” said Tamarine, who faces either Nagyova or Cibulkova today.

“I have to rely on my experience if I have to play Cibulkova, but with Nagyova it could be tough. But I’m definitely fighting hard tomorrow,” Tamarine said

“Super” Suchanan improved

on her splendid record in the

Fed Cup to 8-1 over the past two years.

“It’s because I have support from the crowds,” explained Suchanan about her top form in the Cup. “But I was lucky that Nagyova withdrew, otherwise it would have been tougher for me today.

“I was a bit up and down because I hurried too much. She started aggressively but started missing the ball and I felt more confident later in the match,” said Suchanan, ranked No 243 in the world.

Some Europeans might have had a problem with the heat in Thailand, but not Kurhajcova. After the first set, she handled the humid conditions well.

“I was a runner-up in Pattaya before and I like hot weather. After the first set, I felt physically better and happy to get through the match,” she said.

Suchanan produced a series of unforced errors and found herself 2-4 behind Cibulkova, No 4 in the junior rankings, in the first set. But when she found her groove, Suchanan hit well-placed shots to keep the 16-year-old Slovak off balance and she broke for 4-4.

The Thai went on to break again for a 5-4 lead and saved three break points to set up her first set point. The Slovak teenager lost the set after she sent a forehand long.

The next set went Suchanan’s way and she led 3-0. But Cibulkova started firing down fierce shots and broke in the fourth game. Suchanan then unleashed some big serves including two aces to land the set 6-4 and take the match.

Tamarine played almost flawlessly to win her first set. But Kurhajcova began to match Tamarine’s groundstrokes and answered everything the Thai threw at her in the second set. She broke Tamarine to lead 4-3 and then 5-4 as Tamarine called for a trainer to look at her left ankle. The Slovak held on to her serve to win the set and force the decider.

After a 10-minute break, Tamarine’s game fell away because of the injury, which hampered her movement.

It is not known which Slovak player will play Tamarine in the fourth rubber today, while Suchanan will meet Kurhajcova. Napaporn Tongsalee and Monthinee Tangphong will play Nagyova and Kurhajcova in the doubles.