WTA - Fed Cup Ties, Players, Statistics
Between them, Italy and Russia have held the Fed Cup title since 2004 – Russia won in 2004, 2005, 2007 and 2008, while Italy was crowned champion in 2006, 2009 and 2010.
The teams met at this stage of the competition two years ago and it was the Italians who prevailed 4-1 that day. The reigning champions will be looking for more of the same to extend their unbeaten run in the competition to nine matches. The last time Corrado Barazzutti’s team lost a Fed Cup tie was in February 2008, when Spain defeated them in a World Group first round tie in Naples.
Russia, who leads Italy 4-1 in previous meetings, advanced to the semifinals for the fifth year running after becoming just the fourth nation to come back from 0-2 down to defeat France in this year’s first round tie in Moscow.
Czech Republic won the only previous meeting between the two nations, a 3-0 victory in the World Group first round in 1989 when the competition was a week-long event. Belgium’s captain, Sabine Appelmans, was on the losing side that day.
Belgium, who reached the World Group semifinals for the first time since 2006 after defeating USA 4-1 in the first round, has won its last four home ties. The Belgians have won Fed Cup once, in 2001.
The Czechs are making their third straight appearance in the Fed Cup semifinals. In 2009, they lost to USA and last year they were defeated by eventual champions Italy. Czech Republic is looking to reach its first Fed Cup Final since becoming an independent nation.
USA goes into this World Group play-off clash with an 8-4 advantage over their German hosts, but the teams have only met twice since the best-of-five rubbers format was introduced in 1995.
USA is the most successful Fed Cup nation. They have been crowned champion 17 times. The last time the Americans found themselves in a World Group play-off tie was in 2002, when they defeated Israel 5-0 on home soil. USA has never been out of the competition’s top flight.
The Germans are looking to bounce straight back into the World Group after losing last year’s World Group play-off 3-2 to France in a decisive doubles rubber. Germany’s last four appearances in the World Group play-offs have been decided 3-2.
France travels to Spain looking to preserve its proud record of never having dropped out of the World Group.
The French and Spanish are tied at 4-4 in previous match-ups, but the visitors have won the last three ties between the two nations. France is making its fourth consecutive appearance in the World Group play-offs after losing a thrilling tie against Russia in February’s first round clash in Moscow.
Spain is bidding to reach the World Group after spending a year outside the top tier in 2010. The last time the Spanish defeated France was in 1996, when Conchita Martinez and Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario led their team to a close-fought victory in a World Group semifinal in Bayonne.
Slovak Republic goes into this World Group play-off with a 100 per cent record against Serbia having won their two previous match-ups.
The two nations met at the same stage of the competition last year in a tie that went down to the wire, Daniela Hantuchova and Magdalena Rybarikova prevailing in the decisive doubles rubber against Jelena Jankovic and Bojana Jovanovski.
The Slovaks will be keen to avoid dropping straight back down to World Group II after losing their first round match against Czech Republic, while the Serbian team, which is hoping to bounce immediately back into the top flight, will take confidence from its gripping victory over Canada to reach the play-offs.
It’s all square between Australia and Ukraine with both nations having won one of their two previous Fed Cup ties.
It was the southern hemisphere side who got the better of their European opposition at the same stage of the competition last year. Anastasia Rodionova and Samantha Stosur led from the front as Australia whitewashed Ukraine 5-0 in Kharkiv.
Australia is fighting to remain in the top flight after losing their first round encounter with reigning champions Italy. Meanwhile, Ukraine clinched a decisive doubles rubber victory on Swedish soil in their World Group II tie for a place in the play-offs for the fourth successive year.
This is the fourth Fed Cup meeting between Belarus and Estonia, who both competed under the USSR flag prior to 1992.
Belarus leads the series 2-1, but it was Estonia that won the most recent tie between the two nations. The teams have never played a best-of-five tie, having only previously met in the Europe/Africa Zone Group I event.
At stake for the Belarusians is a chance to equal their best performance in the competition by reaching World Group II. Estonia, meanwhile, is looking to keep its place in World Group II for the second year running.
Slovenia and Canada are meeting for the first time.
Both teams enjoyed successful zonal campaigns last year - Slovenia earned promotion to World Group II thanks to a play-off victory against Japan, while Canada fought off Argentina for its place in the second tier.
Canada’s World Group II loss to Serbia was its first defeat in six ties.
Honours are even between Switzerland and Sweden, with both nations having won two ties in four previous encounters.
Switzerland dropped out of World Group II in 2009 after being defeated by Australia in an away play-off tie. The Swiss are unbeaten in 2011, after winning all three of their Europe/Africa Zone Group I ties.
Sweden is bidding to avoid being relegated from World Group II having only just earned promotion from Zone Group I last year.
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