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Federation Cup

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The World Group II playoffs are starting to take shape. Just two teams to be decided.

Switzerland and Germany are tied 2-2, will go to the doubles.
Israel leads Ukraine 2-1, will also probably go to the doubles.
 
ok, I think I've figured out how the World Group II playoffs work. There will be 8 countries and four ties, the winner of each through to World Group II in 2010. The 8 nations are re-ranked 1 to 8 according to their current ranking. Perhaps the rankings may change slightly after these current results, I don't know.

But based on last year's matches, the ties are 1v8, 2v7, 3v6 and 4v5. By my calculations, we would have to play Switzerland, Germany or Ukraine (should know within a couple days). I don't know whether it would be home or away. Their current teams are:

Switzerland
Patty SCHNYDER, Timea BACSINSZKY, Stefanie VOEGELE, Nicole RINER

Germany
Sabine LISICKI, Anna-Lena GROENEFELD, Kristina BARROIS, Tatjana MALEK

Ukraine
Alona BONDARENKO, Kateryna BONDARENKO, Mariya KORYTTSEVA, Olga SAVCHUK

If we play Switzerland, we host.
If we play Germany, we host.
If we play Ukraine, they host.

So hopefully, Switerland defeat Germany and we then play Switzerland here.
 
Tzipora Obziler of Israel is 1-6 6-4 against Ukraine's Kateryna Bondarenko.

If she can win the 3rd set, Israel win the tie and Australia will host the WGII playoff against Switzerland of Germany.
 
Where and when Australia have hosted Fed Cup ties:

2009 Perth
2007 Gold Coast
2003 Wollongong
2002 Wollongong
2001 Adelaide, Sydney
1998 Perth, Canberra (Dokic played!)
1997 Gold Coast
1995 Perth
1988 Melbourne
1978 Melbourne
1971 Perth
1965 Melbourne

Assuming we host, I'm going to tip Brisbane.
 

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Italy grabbed a 2-0 lead over France in the first round of the Fed Cup but the hosts want Flavia Pennetta's ill-tempered victory over Amelie Mauresmo to be overturned.

France were preparing to launch an official protest after Pennetta recorded a 2-6 7-6 6-4 win over Mauresmo and Francesca Schiavone beat Alize Cornet 6-1 2-6 8-6.

France captain Nicolas Escude said the hosts were objecting to Pennetta's win since the Italian made an obscene gesture towards the umpire when Mauresmo earned a match point at 7-6 in the second set tiebreak thanks to an overrule.

"We have prepared a letter for the supervisor to have the result of the match being revised," Escude told reporters.

In the opening singles, Pennetta reacted angrily after the umpire overruled a backhand passing shot that had initially been called in.

"I lost control of myself. It's the first time it happened to me," Pennetta, who received a verbal warning and a $2,000 fine, told reporters.

Pennetta, however, went on to win the tiebreak 9-7 after Mauresmo double faulted on match point and wrapped victory in two hours and 43 minutes.

Cornet then overcame a poor start to draw level with Schiavone but the Italian stepped up a gear in the decider to clinch the match after two hours and 18 minutes.

It was, however, Pennetta's gesture that angered the French team.

"There are no limits anymore in the behaviour a player can have with an umpire. It is unbelievable," said Mauresmo.

"It's a shame to see such a gesture and to hear such words in a sports arena," said Escude.

"To me, it's a straight red card (disqualification). There is no need for a warning or a penalty point."

Cornet, who witnessed the incident on TV in the dressing room, said: "I must admit I was very shocked by Flavia's behaviour. Showing the middle finger is the worst possible insult, especially on a sports court."
Click to expand...

Cornet lost again today and reports are that she really struggled to control her emotions after a draining loss to Schiavone. Poor girl. :(

And as for who will host the Fed Cup if we gain that right, I hope it's Adelaide. Surely they could give us some compensation for losing the Adelaide International? ;)
 
red+black said:
Tzipora Obziler of Israel is 1-6 6-4 against Ukraine's Kateryna Bondarenko.

If she can win the 3rd set, Israel win the tie and Australia will host the WGII playoff against Switzerland of Germany.
Click to expand...

lol, Bondarenko won the 3rd set 6-0, so it's off to the doubles.

Drummond said:
And as for who will host the Fed Cup if we gain that right, I hope it's Adelaide. Surely they could give us some compensation for losing the Adelaide International? ;)
Click to expand...

I was just thinking Brisbane cos they have their new stadium, but it will probably be Brisbane or Adelaide.
 
World Group II playoff teams are set, and by my calculations, we will play the Ukrainian Bondarenko sisters away :(

Alona is ranked #31 in singles and #29 in doubles
Kateryna is ranked #50 in singles and #24 in doubles

[7]-Belgium v [45]-Estonia
[11]-Japan v [38]-Poland
[12]-Germany v [21]-Canada
[13]-Ukraine v [20]-Australia
 
http://www.fedcup.com/news/newsarticle.asp?articleid=12247

The draw for the World Group and World Group II Play-offs will take place at the ITF offices in London on Tuesday 10 February at 1030 GMT (Wed 11/2 0530 AEST).

Australia, Canada, Estonia and Poland, who won through their respective zonal events last week will look to maintain their form in the World Group II play-offs, where they are joined by Switzerland, Belgium, Japan and Israel. Estonia and Poland have never competed in World Group II or above, while Canada and Australia last competed at that level in 2007.

Both the World Group Play-offs and the World Group II Play-offs will take place on 25-26 April, the same weekend as the World Group semifinals.

Four nations will be seeded in each draw according to the latest ITF Fed Cup Nations Rankings, which will be published on Monday.

Let's see how my prediction goes. We play Ukraine away.
 
Jesus, how bloody stupid am I? (don't answer that!)

To think all the time I put into researching the Fed Cup, for some reason I included the last two teams that won their WGII ties (Germany & Ukraine) rather than the two teams that lost (Switzerland & Israel). If any of you were paying attention, you would have pointed out my error!

So, what an earlier post should have said was the 8 teams are:

[8]-Belgium [previously 7]
[14]-Israel [10]
[15]-Japan [11]
[16]-Australia [20]
[18]-Switzerland [15]
[17]-Canada [21]
[19]-Poland [38] (big jump)
[23]-Estonia [45] (big jump)

And from there, you can see that 4v5 is Australia v Switzerland :thumbsu:. And because Switzerland hosted the last tie in 2006, we will host this one.

Got there eventually :D. So now the question remains, in which city will we destroy the Swiss?
 
red+black said:
To think all the time I put into researching the Fed Cup, for some reason I included the last two teams that won their WGII ties (Germany & Ukraine) rather than the two teams that lost (Switzerland & Israel). If any of you were paying attention, you would have pointed out my error!
Click to expand...
I was paying attention to what you were saying, not how you got there. :p
 

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matt_897 said:
Good draw, we can't complain about it. Providing Sam and Jelena can play up to their standards. I have a feeling Adelaide might get this tie.
Click to expand...

Tie is April 25/26. The following cities have AFL or NRL on:

AFL: 24th - Adelaide
AFL: 25th - Melbourne (2), Launceston, Perth
AFL: 26th - Melbourne (2), Geelong

NRL: 24-27th - Sydney (4), Brisbane, Townsville, Canberra, Melbourne

Adelaide and Brisbane should be fighting for this tie seeing as other cities have enough sport on that weekend.
 
no, not really. patty doesn't like grass and mildura has great grass court facilities and has hosted a davis cup tie (that'll be about 10 years ago now) so it make sense. And might give patty a bit more incentive not to come.
 
Dokic needs to improve for this. As I said in her thread, maybe she should forget the clay season where she is unlikely to regain form, get some rest and get her head right and just focus on grass bfor a couple months. This tie will be a good warm-up for the grass court season where hopefully she can crack the top 50.
 
Nothing that we didn't know. Interesting to see how many people are going to pay $80 to see Switzerland wiped off the court.

Switzerland’s chances of World Group II survival were dealt a blow with the news that neither of their top two singles players will be available for its World Group II Play-off tie in Australia on 25-26 April.

"Patty advised us a while ago that she would not be available if the tie was on grass, said Erik Keller, president of the Swiss Fed Cup committee, "while Timea wants to concentrate on the clay court season, having missed the start of the year through injury."

Switzerland will rely on Stefanie Voegele, Nicole Riner and 15-year-old Mateja Kraljevic for the tie, which takes place on grass at the Mildura Lawn Tennis Club on 25-26 April. The winning nation will start 2010 Fed Cup in World Group II while the losing nation will start next year in the zonal competition.
Click to expand...

&Jelena Dokic has withdrawn from Ponte Vedra citing fatigue.
 

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And even with the rest she's still struggling to be fit.

Order of play:
Saturday
Sam Stosur v Amra Sadikovic
Jelena Dokic v Stefanie Voegele

Sunday
Sam Stosur v Stefanie Voegele
Jelena Dokic v Amra Sadikovic
Stubbs/Stosur v Voegele/Kraljevic
 
Sam won 7-6, 5-7, 6-3. Tighter scoreline than it needed to be but we qualified for WGII, good stuff :thumbsu:

Considering our DC team won't be back in the World Group till about 2020, always good news
 
Moore oh dear, she really is having the year from hell. I must have overrated her because I honestly thought her game was pretty reasonable and top 50 was possible. Doesn't look likely but she is still very young and there is time for improvement. But in saying that, her opponent was 15. :eek:
 

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