2016 ITF Fed Cup: Discussion Thread. (6th Feb-13th Nov)

Which team will win?

  • Czech Republic

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Romania

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Swiss Confederation

    Votes: 1 50.0%

  • Federal Republic of Germany

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Italian Republic

    Votes: 1 50.0%

  • French Republic

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Netherlands

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Russian Federation

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Total voters
    2
  • Poll closed .
Chicharito

Chicharito

Hall of Fame
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2016_Fed_Cup_World_Group
https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&r...p.com/&usg=AFQjCNHwT696FZKx9pwidI8DBQhtRRlkag
2yl9y5j.png
 
World Group tentative rosters...


Romania

Halep
Niculescu
Mitu
Olaru

v.

Czech Republic

Kvitova
Ka. Pliskova
Strycova
Allertova


Germany

Kerber (will be shocked if she shows)
Petkovic
Beck
Groenefeld

v.

Switzerland

Bencic
Bacsinszky
Golubic
Hingis


France

Mladenovic
Garcia
Parmentier
Dodin

v.

Italy

Errani
Giorgi
Schiavone
Caregaro (who?!)


Russia

Sharapova (she'll be replaced)
Kuznetsova
Makarova
Kasatkina

v.

Netherlands

Bertens
Hogenkamp
Burger (another ?!)
Rus (all the way down to #282 in singles)
 
Russia 15/8
Czech Republic 2/1
Germany 5/1
France 6/1
Romania 15/2
Italy 9/1
Switzerland 10/1
Netherlands 60/1

-------------------------------------

Katie Swan became Great Britain's youngest Fed Cup player at the age of 16 as she helped her team to victory over South Africa in Eilat, Israel.

The teenager, ranked 524th, defeated Ilze Hattingh 6-3 6-0 to give Britain a 1-0 lead in their first tie at the Europe/Africa Group 1 tournament.

Heather Watson beat Channel Simmonds 6-3 6-3 to open an unassailable 2-0 advantage in the best-of-three tie.

Britain must win three ties to secure a World Group II play-off in April.

Captain Judy Murray selected Swan to play singles after Australian Open semi-finalist and British number one Johanna Konta withdrew because of illness.
 
so pleased for the British team! Katie has been on my radar for a bit (high ranked junior, think she reached #2?) so it's amazing to see her doing well. Hope we make the WG II playoffs. Playing Belgium for a playoff spot.
 
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Ha, Maria is only playing doubles to maintain her Olympic eligibility.

Maria Sharapova was passed over for the singles and is scheduled to play doubles for Russia against the Netherlands in their Fed Cup first-round tie starting Saturday.

Sharapova was warned last week by Russian tennis chief Shamil Tarpischev that she must play in the tie if she wants to compete in the Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro this year. After losing to Serena Williams in the Australian Open quarterfinals, Sharapova said she would join the Russia team in Moscow but rest a left forearm injury.

But she was picked Friday to play in the doubles, which ends the tie on Sunday. Svetlana Kuznetsova and Ekaterina Makarova were picked to play the singles.

Makarova will open against Kiki Bertens followed by Kuznetsova against Richel Hogenkamp on a hard court in the Olympic Stadium.

After the reverse singles on Sunday, Sharapova is teamed with 18-year-old debutant Darya Kasatkina to face Cindy Burger and Arantxa Rus.

To compete in the Olympics, tennis players must play for their country three times in the preceding four years. Sharapova appeared twice for Russia last year, including winning both of her singles in the final loss to the Czech Republic.

Russia, a four-time Fed Cup champion, is bidding to reach the semifinals for the 12th time in 14 years.

The Netherlands is hoping to extend its seven-tie winning streak after returning to the World Group for the first time since 1998.
Click to expand...
 
GB-Belgium on now. Swan loses first rubber in 3 sets to Bonaventure. Watson now in the 3rd against Van Uytvanck, up a break. Heather was just down 0-40 but saves all 3 BPs, up 4-2 third set.

(these aren't televised right? Can't see them on the stream sites)

edit - Derp. Alison wins the 3rd 6-4, so Belgium go 2-0 up. :(
 
Last edited:
The big shocker is Netherlands up 2:0 over Russia.


The other three WG1 matchups are all 1:1...


Ka. Pliskova beat Halep in 3, Niculescu upset Petra in straights.

Bencic beat Petko in straights, Angie did the same to Bacsinszky.

Giorgi over Mladenovic in 3, Garcia over Errani in straights.
 
Have to imagine Maria replaces Kuzy tomorrow against Bertens. Kuzy can then come back for doubles if it gets there.
 
Oh yes.... absolutely amazing performance by the Dutch girls. Way to go. The record breaking 4 hour match yesterday was a super performance by Richel.
Ever since Paul became their captain, the only way is up. Thrilled!
 
Wow, congrats to the Dutch team! :)

Watching Germany-Switzerland now. Two favorites playing: Angie vs Belinda. Switzerland up 3-2 with the minibreak in the 1st set TB now.
EDIT: Switzerland takes the first set!
 
Wow, great win for the Dutch :)

some fun matches today! Watching Romania-Czech Rep. Halep took the first 6-4 but Kvitova just broke in the 2nd to go 5-3 up with some excellent returning. Bencic-Kerber looks like a close match also!
 
Spain up a break in the 1st against Serbia.

I see Switzerland are serving for the match, going to tune in haha.
 
Muguruza wins, Spain 3-0 Serbia and Spain are through.

Halep took the 3rd set, Romania 2-1 Czech Republic.
 
thing to do on a court so fast is to slice. NOT to bash.

Neither Giorgi nor Garcia have any slice.
 
Who will play who in the semifinals? Will France play the Netherlands? It ended up being an easy draw for the French team, the Italians are no longer a threat and I can't see the Netherlands winning a single match.
 
Yeah France would play Netherlands.

Germany-Switzerland to a doubles decider.... you have to favour any dubs team with Hingis surely :)
 
Timea really needs to go back to the drawing board. Sheesh.

But to be honest, Beck has been playing very well lately.

And these Czechs sure are resilient and hard to beat. Even at their worst they manage to force a decider against Romania.
 
I guess we can pencil in France in the final.

The other two quarterfinals are difficult to predict and the resulting semifinal will also be a coin toss.
 
ScentOfDefeat said:
Timea really needs to go back to the drawing board. Sheesh.

But to be honest, Beck has been playing very well lately.

And these Czechs sure are resilient and hard to beat. Even at their worst they manage to force a decider against Romania.
Click to expand...
Czech are insane in international competition
 
insideguy said:
Czech are insane in international competition
Click to expand...
They have a lot of talent to draw from.

Like Swiss team's chances too, but after Timea's resurgence it seems that maybe she's been figured out a bit + maybe not playing as well. Would still take Belinda over most players though, and as somebody on here once joked, Martina could win doubles slams playing with a paper bag for a partner. (I forget who said it but I thought it was hilarious. I still remember it obviously :D)
 
Bencic, Pliskova, & Garcia get the WG1 MVPs. Impressive from all three ladies.
 
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Switzerland will have a very tough test against the Czech Republic in the semis, but I would love to see them going all the way and winning the competition this year. I think they have only reached 1 final before, in 1998 when they lost to Spain.

Bencic is definitely the real deal, and she has now straight setted Kerber in all 3 of their matches. She looks pretty mentally strong as well, and I love the fact that she often smiles so much at the net after matches, win or lose. Once she won that 3rd rubber, Switzerland were home and dry as they were never going to lose the doubles with Hingis to rely upon. Going forward if Bencic can work on and improve her return of serve, she will become formidable.

I'm in 2 minds about the doubles rubber being held last in Fed Cup ties, as opposed to being sandwiched in the middle in the Davis Cup. If a Fed Cup tie is evenly poised at 2-2, then the doubles match becoming decisive and winner-take all is usually thrilling to watch. However if a tie is settled after the singles matches, then it seems dull and anti-climatic that there is no live doubles rubber. Often doubles players/specialists selected in Fed Cup ties do not get the opportunity to play in live and meaningful double matches, rendering them showing up a waste of time.

Unlike the Davis Cup, you cannot have a separate middle day with just the doubles match, as a best of 3 set doubles match on its own isn't going to be enough to draw too many fans in. However maybe it should bumped up to first on the schedule on the 2nd day instead.
 
World group playoffs: To be played in April
Home team-Away team
Russia v Belarus
Spain v Italy
Romania v Germany
Australia v USA

Was reading up on it and many tennis commentators have noted that it's likely Serena and Venus won't make the journey to Australia for the playoffs as it's in the middle of the North American tournament swing.

Meanwhile Stosur seems to have her mind on the tie as she's not playing any tournaments until March 7th (Indian Wells). She's not playing Premier Dubai, Premier 5 Doha, Monterrey/Kuala Lumpur. She's missing out on a lot of potential points but hopefully the training in Australia will secure us a spot in the world group in 2017.

Although it seems Venus has done the same thing and isn't contesting any tournaments until Indian Wells. Besides Stosur and Venus, no other top 70 players are skipping the next 3 weeks. (Sharapova and Knapp are skipping but both are injured).
 
Always something with Camila.

Camila Giorgi has turned down a call-up to Italy's Fed Cup team for its World Group playoff against Spain, choosing to compete in qualifying for a tournament in Stuttgart, Germany, instead.

The 48th-ranked Giorgi announced last week that she was cutting off ties with the Italian Tennis Federation - apparently because the federation insisted she play Fed Cup. Italy captain Corrado Barazzutti called her up anyhow for the April 16-17 series.

Giorgi had until Monday to confirm her call-up and the federation announced on Tuesday that 72nd-ranked Karin Knapp was taking Giorgi's place on the team, which also includes Roberta Vinci, Sara Errani and Francesca Schiavone.

Giorgi is currently playing in Katowice, Poland, where she beat Aliaksandra Sasnovich of Belarus 6-4, 6-4 in the first round on Tuesday.
Click to expand...
 
US, Czech, & Swiss news...

Madison Keys is returning to Fed Cup play for the first time in two years, leading the U.S. team that will face host Australia on April 16-17 in the World Group playoffs.

In addition to the 22nd-ranked Keys, captain Mary Joe Fernandez's roster, which was announced Wednesday, includes No. 36 CoCo Vandeweghe, No. 57 Christina McHale and doubles player Bethanie Mattek-Sands.

The matches will be played on an outdoor clay court in Brisbane, Australia.

The country that wins will move up to the World Group next year.

Australia's team includes 2011 U.S. Open champion Samantha Stosur, No. 37 Daria Gavrilova, No. 231 Arina Rodionova and doubles player Casey Dellacqua. The Russian-born Gavrilova recently became eligible to compete for Australia in the Fed Cup.
Click to expand...


Defending champion Czech Republic will be without its two highest-ranked players - Petra Kvitova and Lucie Safarova - in next week's Fed Cup semifinals at Switzerland.

Kvitova and Safarova were key members of the Czech team that won four Fed Cup titles in five years.

But the No.7-ranked Kvitova has been struggling since she terminated her seven-year partnership with coach David Kotyza in January, and the 15th-ranked Safarova needs more time to return to form following last year's illness.

No.18 Karolina Pliskova, who won both singles matches and the doubles in the 3-2 victory at Romania in the first round, will lead the Czechs for the April 16-17 series on an indoor hard court in Lucerne.

Barbora Strycova, Denisa Allertova and Lucie Hradecka were also included in the team.
Click to expand...


Martina Hingis has been picked for Switzerland's team for a Fed Cup semifinal against the defending champion Czech Republic, 18 years after leading the team to its previous final appearance.

Hingis, the 35-year-old world's top-ranked doubles player, was named along with No. 10-ranked singles player Belinda Bencic and No. 17 Timea Bacsinszky.

Team captain Heinz Guenthardt completed the lineup with No. 137 Viktorija Golubic.

Switzerland hosts the Czechs on April 16-17 on indoor hard courts at Lucerne.

The visitors, winners of four of the last five Fed Cup titles, will be without its top-ranked player - two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova.
Click to expand...
 
Belinda out 4 weeks.

Switzerland's No. 1 Belinda Bencic has a back injury that caused her to withdraw from a Fed Cup semifinal against defending champion Czech Republic next weekend.

The Swiss tennis federation says the 10th-ranked Bencic must rest for at least four weeks.

The 19-year-old Bencic has had the injury since playing at Indian Wells last month and lost her first-round match at the Charleston tournament last week.

Switzerland hosts the Czechs next Saturday and Sunday on indoor hard courts at Lucerne.

Swiss Tennis says captain Heinz Guenthardt has yet to decide whether to call up a replacement for a team that includes top-ranked doubles player Martina Hingis.

The Czechs, winners of four of the past five Fed Cup titles, will also be without their top-ranked player, two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova.
Click to expand...
 
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