Fed Cup 2009 - Euro/Africa Zone Group 1

stfletch · Junior player

RE: Fed Cup 2009 - Euro/Africa Zone Group 1

MAC · Junior player

Luxembourg and Hungary can't beat us. But mathematically Netherlands could beat Hungary 3-0 and if we lost 3-0 they would be level with GB. So we still need to win at least one match against Luxembourg to guarantee it I think?

stfletch · Junior player

MAC wrote:

Luxembourg and Hungary can't beat us. But mathematically Netherlands could beat Hungary 3-0 and if we lost 3-0 they would be level with GB. So we still need to win at least one match against Luxembourg to guarantee it I think?

I looked up the tie-breaking rules on the main Fed Cup, and its done on head-to-head it two teams are tied rather than rubbers won/lost.

If we loose, Luxenbourg will have still lost one more match. Whoever wins between Netherlands and Hungary would go level with us on two macthes won, but we have beaten both these teams and so would win on the head-to-head rule.

Peter too · Tennis legend

If the four group winners are GBR, Estonia, Belarus and Poland would that mean we would have a 3 match play off against one of the two higher seeded teams ie Belarus or Poland?

wolf · Tennis legend

Yes the posters on Tennis Forum are saying the two highest ranked team in the Fed Cup rankings are seeded and will play the two lower ranked teams. So that means we are likely to play Belarus or Poland who have Azarenka and Radwanska at their disposal respectvely as well as having another top 100 player and two players ranked in the middle regions of the top 100 doubles players.

Peter too · Tennis legend

Challenging then!

wolf · Tennis legend

Estonia, Belarus and Poland are confirmed as the other group winners. So Belarus and Poland will be the top two seeds in the play-offs. Below are their singles and doubles (in brackets) rankings.

Belarus
Victoria Azarenka 15 (20)
Olga Govortsova 48 (67)
Ekaterina Dzehalevich 142 (74)
Tatiana Poutchek 154 (47)

Poland
Agnieszaka Radwanska 9 (54)
Katarzyna Piter 419 (471)
Klaudia Jans 897 (57)
Alicja Rosolska 930 (48)

Fair to say we would rather have Poland than Belarus? Anyone think Anne has a chance against either Azarenka or Radwanska?

-- Edited by wolf at 22:09, 2009-02-05

Peter too · Tennis legend

The only previous matches I can find involve Elena who played Domachowska twice in 2007 losing 6-1 6-4 in the Fed Cup on clay and losing 6-2 6-4 on the hard courts of the Bronx.

Mervatron · Masters Series Champion

Domachowska isn't playing. Piter is playing as 2nd player for Poland so a good shot there for Bally to win a tie. It could come down to the doubles. The polish team are quite experienced so that could be tough.

wolf · Tennis legend

Sorry I was going by the teams that were shown on the first page of the Tennis Forum site, which said Domachowska was playing not Piter.

It is still not completely clear if teams are seeded in the play-offs or not; so again don't take my word as gospel.

Also Sarah confirmed on GB Tennis Girls she is playing singles which surely means Mel is playing as well!

-- Edited by wolf at 22:10, 2009-02-05

Smidster · Challenger level

Anne Keothavong defeated Mandy Minella 6:1, 6:2

tennisfan84 · Junior player

Mel South won 6-0,6-2 and they gave a walkover in the doubles.

Pretty good result overall. I think we could definitely shock Estonia or Poland. Radwanska has had a dip in form recently and Anne indoors could pull off a shock result. Elena should win at two and Radwanska isn't the same player in doubles so it can be done. With the exception of Wozniacki, Denmark are pretty weak. Although I don't see Anne taking her out, I think the 2nd rubber and doubles are winnable.

go team GB!

-- Edited by tennisfan84 at 11:13, 2009-02-06

wolf · Tennis legend

Mel South defeated Fabienne Thill 6-0 6-2
Mel South took a little over 30 minutes to defeat Luxembourg's Fabienne Thill 6-0 6-2 and continue AEGON Team GB's superb week in Tallinn, Estonia.

South proved far to much for Thill who only won a handful of points in the first set.

Although Thill offered more resistance in the second set, it continued to be one way traffic for the British No. 2 who was utterly dominant throughout the match.

Anne Keothavong defeated Mandy Minella 6-1 6-2
Anne Keothavong defeated Luxembourgs Mandy Minella 6-1 6-2 to maintain Great Britains winning record in the 2009 Fed Cup.

Minella who is ranked 332 in the world dropped her opening service game and, despite having chances to break back early in the opening set, was never able to capitalise on them.

Keothavong broke again early in the second set and raced to a 4-0 lead. The match was over in less than an hour and Great Britain remain undefeated this week.

Mel South & Sarah Borwell defeated Fabienne Thill & Mandy Minella w/o
Luxembourg pulled out of the remaining doubles rubber on day three handing Great Britain a 3-0 lead.

Well that was quick!

Smidster · Challenger level

Good news

Think I would prefer to draw Poland but there is a chance Belarus could be affected as Poutchek is down for Paris qualifying and Azarenka is in Thailand next week.

-- Edited by Smidster at 13:49, 2009-02-06

wolf · Tennis legend

We have drawn Poland. Every chance. Radwanska is obviously quality and will probably beat Anne but Anne is in the form of her life so you never know. Bally really should beat Piter so that means it will most probably come down to the doubles. Jans/Rosolska are a regular pairing on the WTA tour but they are nothing special. I would like GB to go with Sarah/Mel but I think Sears has indicatated Sarah/Anne are his first choice team.

2pm tomorrow btw.

-- Edited by wolf at 16:24, 2009-02-06