Fed Cup 2010: Europe/Africa Zone Group 1

philwrig · Hall of fame

RE: Fed Cup 2010: Europe/Africa Zone Group 1

RBBOT · Futures qualifying

Seems the Danish don't share Andy Murray's views about top 5 players participating in lower groupings.

Surprised to see Babo's given my earlier comments regarding Laura's lack of participation in this so soon after the AO juniors. Also competiing in both are Silvia Njiric for Croatia and Mai Grage for Denmark (although ranked #43 in juniors she probably has lower expectations of being at the business end of the AO)

-- Edited by RBBOT on Tuesday 12th of January 2010 12:44:15 PM

philwrig · Hall of fame

In depth interview with Anne here looks like she is on course to be fit.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/tennis/6967899/Anne-Keothavong-aims-to-boost-Britains-Fed-Cup-status.html

philwrig · Hall of fame

Fed cup nearly underway. Groups to be announced tomorrow and play to commence on Wednesday.

Updated teams here:http://www.fedcup.com/results/ea1.asp

The main team to avoid is clearly Belarus.

I fear we might just fall short again this year. Depends alot on how fit Anne is. But we couldn't be better prepared with a full weeks practice and early arrival at the venue. Doubles again likely to be the key with a Anne/ Sarah combination probably are only option.

jb288 · Satellite level

On her website Anne has her down as competing in 'Fed Cup Singles' - not sure if that is meaningful in anyway...?

philwrig · Hall of fame

Draw is out. Disaster. We have drawn Belarus and also a potential banana skin in Austria.
The last country in our group will be Bosnia.

Peter too · Tennis legend

Singles and doubles rankings.

Belarus
V.Azarenka 6 18
O. Govortsova 55 66
E. Dzehalevich 156 77
T. Poutchek 298 56

Austria
S. Bammer 50 905
P. Mayr 107 188
Y. Meusburger 89 137
S. Klemenschits NR 91

Great Britain
E. Baltacha 83 281
K. OBrien 84 476
A. Keothavong 127 210
S. Borwell 919 76

Bosnia
M. Jugic-Salkic 340 295
S. Martinovic 387 396
E. Burgic 653 898
N. Fatic 1065 883

steven · Tennis legend

Doesn't look great and of course, they'd have to win the group and win another match to get through, which makes it very brutal!

It made me wonder how a country with one top 10 player and another top 60 player can be down in this group in the first place!

Belarus had the same team last year and beat Denmark 2-1 (Azarenka lost 3 & 3 to Wozniacki), Slovenia 3-0 and Austria 3-0 to win their group but then lost to the then hosts Estonia, with Govortsova losing to Maret Ani, now WR 177, and Azarenka losing to Kaia Kanepi, now WR 61.

That loss to Estonia suggests that Belarus aren't unbeatable by a teamlike GB if everything goes right.

philwrig · Hall of fame

GB will probably have to gamble by playing Anne as our number 2 against Belarus and then somehow win the doubles . Long shot but probably our only hope.

philwrig · Hall of fame

From listening to Nigel Sears and Anne it would seem that Anne and Sarah will play the doubles whilst Bally and Katie will play singles. Nigel will also consider using Anne in singles but listening to Anne I doubt that would be a good play.

DavidC · Tennis legend

Although tough there are some rays of hope here.

First the Belarus no. 2 is yet to win a set this year, and the three players she has faced (Kerber, Scheepers and Zahlavova Strycova) are at a similar level to Katie.

Second the presence of another strongish team (Austria) does offer the possible scenario of losing to Belarus but still winning the group on sets/games if Austria can provide an upset.

Third although Govortsova has won her last 8 matches against Brits, including two hammerings of Katie, her last defeat was by Anne.

Fourth we start tomorrow afternoon against the weak team (Bosnia) so have the chance to feel our way into the competition.

Fifth we cannot play Belarus in the play-off, where we have fallen twice in recent years.

philwrig · Hall of fame

Good positive thinking.

wolf · Tennis legend

The Bosnian number one is out, so it should be a complete stroll today.

The doubles match of the tie before ours hasn't even started yet so it should be at least 6 o'clock before they get on.

Peter too · Tennis legend

It looks as if our start will be delayed until about 5 pm.

http://www.lta.org.uk/Articles/Fed-Cup-2009/2010/As-it-Happens/03022010---The-Bosnians-up-first/

Peter too · Tennis legend

A sort of live score:-

http://www.fptenis.pt/livescore/livescore.asp