LYCOS RETRIEVER 
Marion Bartoli: Match
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In the absence of Amélie Mauresmo (with a groin injury) and Mary Pierce (with a shoulder problem) Marion received her debut Fed Cup call-up for France's semi finals against Spain. She was teamed with Loit again and helped complete a 5-0 whitewash of the Spanish team. In the final against Russia Svetlana Kuznetsova had lost both of her matches and Anastasia Myskina had won both of hers, making Bartoli & Loit's doubles match against Myskina & Vera Zvonareva the decisive rubber. The Russian pair won the first set on a tie break then the second set 7-5 handing the Fed Cup to Russia for the first time. As a result, her team leader Guy Forget was resigned and she did not choose by her new team leader Georges Goven to play next year (2005) of the same tournament with Loit.
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Bartoli's cool under duress was remarkable, but she put it all down to the presence of a former James Bond. Pierce Brosnan, who played the secret agent, was watching the match and Bartoli was inspired by the presence of the actor.
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Marion picked up her form in Toronto, winning consecutive matches for the first time since Wimbledon. She beat Maria Kirilenko and Dinara Safina but retired in her quarterfinal match against Yan Zi when trailing 6-2, 3-0. At New Haven, she beat Virginia Ruano Pascual 6-0, 6-4 before losing to Elena Dementieva once again 6-4, 6-2.
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Now playing in her biggest match of her career it will be interesting to see how Bartoli handles the pressure of the big time. She has won three singles titles during her career so she has finals day experience. The only difference today is that she will have all eyes from the tennis world watching her.
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"It's really a strange week for me," Bartoli said. "Yesterday, I lost really badly and my wish for today was to play much better and have fun because it's the last match of the season, but I feel bad for Jelena."
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