Week #5 preview: Fed Cup

2010 Fed Cup starts this weekend with current champion Italy starting their defense in Ukraine. Bondarenko sisters lead the Ukranian team that makes its debut in World Group, although the solid Italian team with Pennetta and Schiavone is still the favourite. The tie between Czech Republic and Germany looks very levelled with many Top-80 players. In their first World Group appearance, Serbia, with Jankovic and Ivanovic not at their best, could go to the semis, as Russia will miss all their 6 Top-25 players. And surprisingly the tie between France and USA is the weakest of all, without any Top-40 player and just 3 Top-100 players.

In World Group II there are also some interesting ties. Australia, led by Samantha Stosur, has a tough tie against a solid Spanish team that has 3 Top-40 players. Agnieszka Radwanska and Yanina Wickmayer will lead Poland and Belgium in a tie that could be decided in the doubles match. Estonia, led by Kanepi, is the favourite as they will receive a weak Argentinian team that will miss Dulko. And the most interesting tie is between Slovak Republic with Hantuchova and Cibulkova and China with Zheng and Peng.

World Group, 1/4-final
Ukraine (A. Bondarenko, K. Bondarenko, Kutuzova, Koryttseva)
vs Italy (Pennetta, Schiavone, Errani, Vinci)

Czech Republic (Safarova, Hradecka, Kvitova, Peschke)
vs Germany (Petkovic, Groenefeld, Malek, Barrois)

Serbia (Jankovic, Ivanovic, Jovanovic, Jovanovski)
vs Russia (Kleybanova, Pavlyuchenkova, Dushevina, Makarova)

France (Cornet, Coin, Parmentier, Cohen-Aloro)
vs USA (Oudin, Perry, Mattek-Sands, Huber)

World Group II, 1st round
Australia (Stosur, Molik, Dellacqua, Stubbs)
vs Spain (Medina, Martinez, Suarez, Llagostera)

Poland (A. Radwanska, Domachowska, Rosolska, Jans)
vs Belgium (Wickmayer, Flipkens, Mestach, Oyen)

Estonia (Kanepi, Ani, Ruutel, Schutting)
vs Argentina (Irigoyen, Auroux, Salut, Ormaechea)

Slovak Republic (Cibulkova, Hantuchova, Rybarikova, K. Kucova)
vs China (Zheng, Peng, Zhang, Lu)