FED CUP - 1st round

[Oui c'est moi.]

7-8 Feb


World group

Russia vs China

USA vs Argentina

France vs Italy

Czech Republic vs Spain


World group II


Ukrane vs Israel

Serbia vs Japan

Switzerland vs Germany

Slovak Republic vs Belgium


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Post any streams you find please.

 

[Oui c'est moi.]

1)

Olympic Stadium, Moscow
Hardcourt/Indoor

2)

Surprise Tennis and Racquet Complex, Suprise (!)
Hardcourt/Outdoor

3)

Palais du Sport, Orleans
Hardcourt/Indoor

4)

Brno Exhibition Center, Brno
Carpet/Indoor D)

 

[Oui c'est moi.]

counter puncher....:-?:twisted:

 

[mrDamien]

Even without Sharapova in the Russian team, they are still the best to win.

 

[Love Game]

dont see the williams sisters anywhere.
not playing Fed Cup this year?

 

[jamauss]

dont see the williams sisters anywhere.
not playing Fed Cup this year?

They usually don't make an appearance unless the US makes the semifinals or the final.

 

[Geezer Guy]

Stupid question, but do they play the same format as the Davis Cup? I see it's contested in just two days.

 

[Oui c'est moi.]

Even without Sharapova in the Russian team, they are still the best to win.

LOLOLOL
Yeah that one time she played really helped them....




Completed:
Kuznetsova d. Yan - 6:2 6:4
Dementieva d. Zhang - 6:3 6:0
Kvitova d. Suarez Navarro - 6:4 6:4
Cibulkova d. Flipkens - 7:6 6:1
Ivanovic d. Sugiyama - 6:4 6:4
A. Bondarenko d. Obziler - 6:4 6:4
Schnyder d. Groenefeld - 7:6 6:3

Still playing:
Mauresmo vs Pennetta - 6:2 6:7 2:0
Benesova vs Llagostera Vives - 6:1 1:6
K. Bondarenko vs Peer - 3:6 5:6
Bacsinszky vs Lisicki - 0:3
Hantuchova vs Wickmayer - 5:5

 

[Topaz]

Stupid question, but do they play the same format as the Davis Cup? I see it's contested in just two days.

It is not the same (and not a stupid question!).

First day is two singles matches.

Second day is two more singles matches, and doubles is last.

I like Davis Cup format better, because the doubles is a vital point. Too often in Fed Cup the doubles either doesn't matter, or it is the tie-breaker.

 

[Topaz]

LOLOLOL
Yeah that one time she played really helped them....

She only played that one time so she could get an Olympic berth.

 

[Topaz]

A Jill Craybas win gives a 1-0 lead to the USA. Oudin is fighting, but down a set and a break in her match.

Craybas is going to need to beat Dulko tomorrow to keep the US in contention, though I could see Oudin beating the Argentine #2 Jozami. If it gets to the doubles, I like the US's chances with Liezel Huber on the team.

**********

As I typed this, Dulko closed out the match.

1-1 going into the second day.

 

[Oui c'est moi.]

She only played that one time so she could get an Olympic berth.

Which came to no use in the end. :lol:
I sometimes wonder if this was God's way of punishing her..

 

[Geezer Guy]

It is not the same (and not a stupid question!).

First day is two singles matches.

Second day is two more singles matches, and doubles is last.

I like Davis Cup format better, because the doubles is a vital point. Too often in Fed Cup the doubles either doesn't matter, or it is the tie-breaker.

Thanks very much. I think I agree with you about the preference, but I can see advantages both ways.

 

[Topaz]

The American gals are in a bit of trouble. Dulko steam rolled Craybas, and Oudin is down in her match against Jozami. If the US loses this tie, they are out of the World Group. **thanks Venus and Serena!**

Russia and Italy both dominated their ties 5-0. Bit surprised to see France go down so hard. Russia and Italy will meet in the semis, and the Czech Republic will face whoever wins in Surprise, AZ.

Personally, I think it is a real shame. For the US to have the #1 woman's tennis player, and not be in the world group anymore is...sad. No way that Argentina should beat the US on hardcourts. I kind of understand Serena not wanting to show...but Venus? Either one could have beaten Dulko blindfolded, but instead Dulko is leading what looks like a winning team. *shaking head*

Well, it isn't over yet...let's hope Oudin keeps fighting, turns the match around, and Liezel Huber gets a chance to do her thing in doubles.

This is exactly why I hate this format! A team with ONE strong singles player can dominate a tie, but in Davis Cup, you've got to at least play the doubles...and the doubles players feel like they are part of the team and will always contribute to the tie.

In World Group II action the winners were Serbia, Ukraine (all you need are a pair of Bondarenkos), Germany, and the Slovak Republic.

 

[Topaz]

Update!

Oudin is up 3-0 in the second set...looks like she's calmed down a bit! Keep fighting!!!

 

[Topaz]

Rain delay! Crap! Hope this doesn't interrupt Oudin's momentum.

 

[Topaz]

Oudin takes the second set 6-1!!!

Third set to decide whether or not Argentina wins, or if we go to the doubles! Go Melanie!

 

[boredone3456]

Frankly I think at least one of the Williams should have showed up for us. Serena yeah she just won the Aussie and all so maybe she wanted to rest or celebrate or whatever, but Venus usually can be counted on during Fed cup and I dunno why she isn't there. If the US manages to win this, Craybas, Oudin, Liezel and Ditty deserve a ticker tape parade because they stepped up in the clutch.

 

[Topaz]

Frankly I think at least one of the Williams should have showed up for us. Serena yeah she just won the Aussie and all so maybe she wanted to rest or celebrate or whatever, but Venus usually can be counted on during Fed cup and I dunno why she isn't there. If the US manages to win this, Craybas, Oudin, Liezel and Ditty deserve a ticker tape parade because they stepped up in the clutch.

Exactly! Couldn't have said it better myself.

Oudin down a break.

 

[Topaz]

Oudin fights back, and is now UP a break, 3-2!!! Gooooo Melanie!!!

 

[JLyon]

Frankly I think at least one of the Williams should have showed up for us. Serena yeah she just won the Aussie and all so maybe she wanted to rest or celebrate or whatever, but Venus usually can be counted on during Fed cup and I dunno why she isn't there. If the US manages to win this, Craybas, Oudin, Liezel and Ditty deserve a ticker tape parade because they stepped up in the clutch.

If the US loses this should not fall on the Williams, blame the USTA for not training up the next group of young ladies to compete at a high level.

The Williams rarely played anyways, but before there was Capriati, Davenport, now there is nobody that can step up and play and compete with the other Countries Top players.

 

[Topaz]

If the US loses this should not fall on the Williams, blame the USTA for not training up the next group of young ladies to compete at a high level.

The Williams rarely played anyways, but before there was Capriati, Davenport, now there is nobody that can step up and play and compete with the other Countries Top players.

Um, nice try...but their absence is glaring when all the top players from all the *other* countries have no problem showing up.

The 'other' gals show up and play, and have kept the US where they are so far...such as their defeat of the Germany squad a few years ago with Craybas and Vania King and Jamea Jackson leading the team. There are actually plenty of young ladies up and coming (Oudin, Vandeweghe, and Mattek was injured unfortunately), but they just lack the experience.

And it is even more of an embarrassment when compared to the solidity of the US men's Davis Cup squad. Roddick and Blake are never too 'busy' to show up and play for their country.

That's why it is hard to be a William's sisters fan...you end up caring more than they do sometimes.

Oudin up 5-2!

 

[boredone3456]

If the US loses this should not fall on the Williams, blame the USTA for not training up the next group of young ladies to compete at a high level.

The Williams rarely played anyways, but before there was Capriati, Davenport, now there is nobody that can step up and play and compete with the other Countries Top players.

Actually part of it in my opinion is on the Williams. All the other countries top women have been playing (Dementieva, Zvonareva, Pennetta, Mauresmo, Cornet, Jankovic, Ivanovic, Radwanska etc).

I think its pretty sad that the number 1 player in the world doesn't want to play for her country, and I would be saying this regardless of whether it was Serena or not. Its also really sad when the only reason Serena seemed to play last year was to bolster her bid for olympic selection because if it wasn't an olympic year I doubt she would have played at all, and Fed Cup is a key part of Selection. I leave Venus out of that equation because she has played when she has been able to the past few years, although like I said...why she isn't there this year is a surprise.

The point of the fed cup is the top women from their country working together to acheive a team award, and its pretty bad that the US is the only country whose top players aren't there and are seemingly uninjured. What kind of Example is that to set for up and coming players from the USA, you play in that countries name and then when that country really needs you like in this tournament its ok to not play and not give any reason why...sorry to me that isn't cool.

 

[Topaz]

^^^Excellent post! Said far better than I put it.


AND!

OUDIN WINS!!!!

Now we are down to the doubles, and you *know* Leizel is ready to go!!!

Might I also add that Oudin and I use the same racquet, too! LOL

 

[Topaz]

Liezel and Julie Ditty are up a set and on serve in the second. I'm a bit surprised that Craybas isn't playing, but Ditty is a tricky lefty...a nice mix up.

C'mon girls...bring it home!

 

[Topaz]

USA WINS!!!​

Huber and Ditty win the doubles, and the USA stays in the World Group, and advances to a semi-final tie with the Czech Republic. Pretty cool that each team member contributed to the win, as well. Crayas got a singles point, Oudin got a singles point, and Huber/Ditty got the doubles point. Great teamwork!!!

Oudin especially was impressive in her comeback win. She's got a great attitude on court and never gives up. I hope we see more of her!

 

[DMan]

While not a popular sentiment, in some ways it would have been better if the US lost.

They are now in the semis of Fed Cup, supposedly a big, international women's professional team competition. The US was made up of a team that has 1 very good doubles player, a veteran with a career losing record, and a 17 year old barely out of the juniors. They beat a team from Argentina that has as its best player a woman ranked #44, who was never higher than 25 in the world. And two unknown players.

If this is supposed to be big time women's tennis, than I must be missing something.

The Williams may return for the semis against the Czechs (Petra Kvitova, Iveta Benesova and Lucie Safarova). If the US were to have to field the same team against the Czechs, it would amount to a string of first round matches of your garden varety Tier III women's event. Not the semis of a major international team competition.

The reason I think it would have been better if the US lost was that it would force the USTA to recognize they don't have much in the way of up and coming talent. Oudin's win was nice. But she beat Bettina Jozani. I mean that could be a first round match in qualifying for a Tier III event! So long as Venus and Serena hold up USA women's tennis, everyone will look the other way.

 

[boredone3456]

As an American, I am of course happy that we won, but D Man has a point, these matches were not the pinacle of what world group I fed cup matches should be. In all honesty if the Williams had shown up, it could have been a 5-0 or 4-1 USA win. Yes the women who did step up to represent got the job done, but when the Semi-Finals come up I hope that the Williams see that we could actually win the Fed cup if they get their rears onto the team and actually care to play (in Serena's case) and are Healthy (in Venus's case).

If the Williams play I see no reason why the USA wouldn't make the finals against Russia, and possibly win, again if the Williams play. Ideally the USA team would be the Williams, Huber and maybe Lisa Raymond? , and if that team were to happen I think we could win. But if the USA has to use Craybas, Oudin, Huber and Ditty again....a severely ragged Czech team would be the favorite to make the final and subsequently get slaughtered by either Russia or Italy...likely Russia. The draw is wide Open for Russia to get another Fed cup, especially if the Williams don't play for the USA. I know we cannot constantly rely on the Williams, but until we get new people who can really dominate...they are the best the USA has and they need to step up and lead.

 

[FloridaAG]

The quality of play in that second singles match yesterday was very low - If that is the best we can put out there, that is pretty sad.

 

[Oui c'est moi.]

Wow you guys kept this thread alive while i was away!


So we have.....

Russia 5 - 0 China
France 0 - 5 Italy
USA 3 - 2 Argentina
Czech Republic 4 - 1 Spain

Semi-finals:
Russia vs Italy
USA vs Czech Republic


World Group II....
Slovak Republic 4 - 1 Belguim
Switzerland 2 - 3 Germany
Serbia 4 - 1 Japan
Ukraine 3 - 2 Israel