Kazakhstan too strong for Hong Kong

Hong Kong failed to qualify for the Fed Cup Asia/Oceania Group I next year when they went down 3-0 to Kazakhstan in Perth yesterday. Lynn Zhang Ling and Jessica Yang Zi-jun lost their singles as well as doubles in the group decider. Yang lost 6-0, 7-6 (7-2) to Galina Voskoboeva, while Zhang succumbed 6-2, 6-3 to Yaroslava Shvedova. The Kazakhstan pair then won the doubles 6-4, 2-6, 6-4. The loss means Hong Kong Kong stay in Group II in 2010. 'The result was expected,' said Janet Hardisty, Hong Kong Tennis Association general manager.