Fed Cup 2017

[BobbyMorri]

The first round is this week. Teams are as follows. Australia play Ukraine in world group II in Ukraine.


WORLD GROUP FIRST ROUND

CZECH REPUBLIC v SPAIN
Venue: Ostravar Arena, Ostrava, CZE (hard - indoor)

Czech Republic
Karolina Pliskova
Barbora Strycova
Katerina Siniakova
Lucie Safarova
Captain: Petr Pala

Spain
Garbine Muguruza
Lara Arruabarrena
Sara Sorribes Tormo
Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez
Captain: Conchita Martinez

(good teams both of them. Be interesting to see how fit Mug is. Still you think with the depth of the Czechs they will get over the line)

USA v GERMANY
Venue: Royal Lahaina Resort, Maui, USA (hard - outdoor)

USA
CoCo Vandeweghe
Alison Riske
Shelby Rogers
Bethanie Mattek-Sands
Captain: Kathy Rinaldi

Germany
Laura Siegemund
Andrea Petkovic
Julia Goerges
Carina Witthoeft
Captain: Barbara Rittner

No Kerber, No Germany. Williams wont play Fed Cup again you reckon. Good to see Witthoeft named. She is better than Siegemund i reckon.

BELARUS v NETHERLANDS
Venue: Chizhovka-Arena, Minsk, BLR (hard - indoor)

Belarus
Aliaksandra Sasnovich
Aryna Sabalenka
Olga Govortsova
Vera Lapko
Captain: Eduard Dubrou

Netherlands
Kiki Bertens
Cindy Burger
Arantxa Rus
Michaella Krajicek
Captain: Paul Haarhuis

No Azarenka creates a very weak Belarus side. Sasnovich is hopeless. Bertens used the Fed Cup last year as a springboard to the rest of her season. Still, these nations have nothing going for them. Good to see Rus is out and about again.
SWITZERLAND v FRANCE
Venue: Palexpo, Geneva, SUI (hard - indoor)

Switzerland
Timea Bacsinszky
Viktorija Golubic
Belinda Bencic
Martina Hingis
Captain: Heinz Guenthardt

France
Alize Cornet
Kristina Mladenovic
Pauline Parmentier
Captain: Yannick Noah

Only 3 for france atm as Garica has elected not to play. A lot rides on Timea for Switzerland and Kiki for France. You think Timea will partner Hingis in the doubles against a Kiki led doubles team. If Bencic can stay fit, Switzerland would have a chance. Garcia missing is huge for france.

WORLD GROUP II FIRST ROUND

RUSSIA v CHINESE TAIPEI
Venue: Druzhba Sport Complex, Moscow, RUS (hard - indoor)

Russia
Ekaterina Makarova
Natalia Vikhlyantseva
Anna Blinkova
Anna Kalinskaya
Captain: Anastasia Myskina

Chinese Taipei
Chang Kai-Chen
Lee Ya-Hsuan
Hsu Ching-Wen
Chan Chin-Wei
Captain: Wang Shi-Ting

So, who is missing for Russia. Dasha Kasatkina, Pav, Vesnina are 3 off the top of my head. Blinkova rewarded for making the 2nd round here in Australia
ROMANIA v BELGIUM
Venue: Sala Polivalenta, Bucharest, ROU (hard - indoor)

Romania
Simona Halep
Irina-Camelia Begu
Monica Niculescu
Sorana Cirstea
Captain: Ilie Nastase

Belgium
Yanina Wickmayer
Kirsten Flipkens
Elise Mertens
Maryna Zanevska
Captain: Dominique Monami

The Hobart champ named for Belguim. Very strong Romanian side.

UKRAINE v AUSTRALIA
Venue: Palace of Sports 'Lokomotiv', Kharkiv, UKR (hard - indoor)

Ukraine
Elina Svitolina
Lesia Tsurenko
Olga Savchuk
Nadiia Kichenok
Captain: Mikhail Filima

Australia
Daria Gavrilova
Ashleigh Barty
Arina Rodionova
Casey Dellacqua
Captain: Alicia Molik

No Stosur. Deserves a rest. She has played for her country for a long long time. You think Ash and Casey will win the doubles if we can get it to that stage. They are a great doubles team. But Tsurenko and Svitolina will be hard to beat, especially Svitolina, who won Taiwan last week. You think Indoor hard will suit us more than a clay court. Surely Barty plays at least one singles match. I think we can do it. We just have to hope Tsurenko is still ill(ish) and beat her twice.

ITALY v SLOVAKIA
Venue: PalaGalassi, Forlì, ITA (clay - indoor)

Italy
Sara Errani
Francesca Schiavone
Jasmine Paolini
Martina Trevisan
Captain: Tathiana Garbin

Slovakia
Jana Cepelova
Rebecca Sramkova
Daniela Hantuchova
Anna Karolina Schmiedlova
Captain: Matej Liptak

SCHMIEDS!!!!!

World Group 1 winners play Semi finals
World Group 1 losers play World Group 2 winners.
World group 2 losers play Zonal playoffs winners(where a Konta lead Britain is one of the teams that SHOULD be waiting for someone)

 

[Amazing Bombers]

Stosur has been a good servant of the Fed cup side but I think it's good that Gavrilova and Barty will play singles. Anyone who wants to watch the Fed Cup , the coverage starts at 10PM on Saturday and 10:30PM on Sunday on 7two.

 

[danstar]

Barty and gavrilova will prob win 1 match each and barty dellacqua will win the doubles we will scrape through just

 

[Bumpswithagrin]

Surprised that Stosur has made herself unavailable as she has always played in the past. Barty will definitely play singles, there is no one else as Dellacqua doesn't play singles anymore and Barty is much better than Rodianova!

 

[BobbyMorri]

Surprised that Stosur has made herself unavailable as she has always played in the past. Barty will definitely play singles, there is no one else as Dellacqua doesn't play singles anymore and Barty is much better than Rodianova!

I thought they might rest Barty for the 2nd singles match, especially if it is against Svitolina.

 

[Bumpswithagrin]

I thought they might rest Barty for the 2nd singles match, especially if it is against Svitolina.

I don't think you can bring in another player for the reverse singles unless there is an injury or it's a dead rubber can you?

 

[BobbyMorri]

I don't think you can bring in another player for the reverse singles unless there is an injury or it's a dead rubber can you?

I dont think so.

the french rested Kiki last year in the reserve singles in the final. she later played the doubles

 

[ozgamer]

/plays sexist card

I have to say GB's Fed Cup team look really yummy

Source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/tennis/2...up-team-boosted-availability-ofjohanna-konta/

 

[ozgamer]

Ice to see you

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport...t/news-story/895f8d6f6f31c9e59600865504c20e78

 

[matt_897]

Think it'll be a struggle, Svitolina should be too strong for our side you would think.

 

[Bumpswithagrin]

GO AUSSIES!!!

 

[BobbyMorri]

Not the best start.

Sent from my XT1033 using Tapatalk

 

[Teen Wolf]

Both players have looked tight as a drum out there at times.

 

[Teen Wolf]

Tsurenko gonna be hard to beat now.

 

[BobbyMorri]

Better player is winning ATM.

Huge trouble in this tie now

Sent from my XT1033 using Tapatalk

 

[Bumpswithagrin]

Needed to win this one to have any chance I think

 

[Teen Wolf]

Darn it, Dasha just couldn't find her rhythm today.

 

[ozgamer]

LOL @ Dasha with one more racquet smash

 

[Bumpswithagrin]

Honestly never heard of Tsurenko, thought Dasha would beat her easily

Well maybe Ash can do the impossible and beat Svitolina.

 

[ozgamer]

Honestly never heard of Tsurenko, thought Dasha would beat her easily

Not if Dasha has never beaten Tsurenko.

 

[Bumpswithagrin]

Not if Dasha has never beaten Tsurenko.

Yeah, only found that out just before the match.

 

[Bumpswithagrin]

Barty holds serve to love, good start (a hold being like a break in women's tennis ).

 

[BobbyMorri]

Tsurenko is the girl who took Kerber to 3 sets at the Aus Open First round this year.

ranked 50-odd but showed some good form during the Aussie Summer in Brisbane(?) and then made the semis of Hobart.

Barty is serving well and has taken advantage of Svitolinas slow start.

as i type that, the crowd seems to be getting more involved and Barty is in trouble on serve. cant find a first serve atm.

 

[BobbyMorri]

there has been some bad line calls.

 

[Bumpswithagrin]

Barty takes the first set!!! Great stuff from Ash