[meridiasas]

USTA SELECTS WORCESTER, MASS., AS SITE OF FED CUP BY BNP PARIBAS
WORLD GROUP II FIRST ROUND BETWEEN THE U.S. AND BELARUS

DCU Center to Host Best-of-Five Match Series, February 4-5
Serena Williams Committed to Play for United States;
World No. 4 Victoria Azarenka Expected to Lead Belarus

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y., October 4, 2011 – The USTA announced today that the DCU Center in Worcester, Mass., has been selected as the site for the 2012 Fed Cup by BNP Paribas World Group II First Round tie between the United States and Belarus, February 4-5.

Thirteen-time Grand Slam singles champion Serena Williams has already committed to play for the United States Fed Cup Team in 2012, while current world No. 4 Victoria Azarenka is expected to compete for Belarus.

“The DCU Center will be a great venue for this very important match and Serena’s return to the U.S. Fed Cup Team. Belarus will be a tough opponent and we will need our fans to come out in numbers and be loud to give us the home court advantage,” said U.S. Fed Cup Team Captain Mary Joe Fernandez. “One of the last Fed Cup matches I played was in Boston, so I know firsthand that this area has and will embrace the competition.”

The event is being organized, staged and promoted by the USTA. Tickets information will be available at a later date. Fans can call the U.S. Fed Cup hotline at (888) 334-8782 or visit www.usta.com/fedcup to receive the latest ticket information.

“Worcester eagerly awaits the opportunity to cheer on the United States in February during the 2012 Fed Cup,” said Worcester City Manager, Michael O’Brien. “Opportunities to work with organizations like the United States Tennis Association puts Worcester on an international stage and is ‘grand slam’ for the City, our hotels, and our downtown.”
“We are honored to be chosen as the host site for such a prestigious event and equally excited to see the return of top professional women’s tennis to Worcester in more than 20 years,” said Sandy Dunn, General Manager, DCU Center.

The World Group II first round will mark the first-ever matchup between the U.S. and Belarus in Fed Cup competition. The winner of this match will advance to the World Group Playoff and play for a chance to compete for the Fed Cup title in 2013. The loser will compete in the World Group II Playoff and will either maintain its status in World Group II for the following year or be relegated to zonal competition.

This will be the first home tie for the U.S. since the 2010 Fed Cup Final in San Diego, where the team lost to Italy. In 2011, the U.S. played away ties in Belgium and Germany. The U.S. is 35-4 all-time in Fed Cup ties played at home.

This will be the third Fed Cup tie played in Massachusetts and first since the U.S. defeated the Czech Republic, 5-0, in the 2003 World Group first round at the Paul E. Tsongas Arena in Lowell. The U.S. Fed Cup Team is undefeated in Massachusetts, with the other win coming in the 1997 quarterfinal against Japan in Boston.

Tennis Channel will present live daily coverage of the United States vs. Belarus Fed Cup World Group II First Round.

Fed Cup by BNP Paribas is the world’s largest annual international women’s team competition with 90 countries competing in 2011. The United States leads all nations with 17 Fed Cup titles, the last coming in 2000. For more information, including access to player and historical Fed Cup records, please go to www.usta.com.

Wilson is the official ball of the U.S. Fed Cup Team.

# # #

[Dndjzirw]

I think the domination for some teams are:

CZECH REPUBLIC

• Starters: Kvitova, Safarova, Hradecka, Zakopalova (formerly as Koukalova)
• Substitutes: Cetkovska, Zahlavova Strycova, Birnerova, Hlavackova, Zahlavova, Pliskova sisters, Voracova, Ondraskova, Uhlirova
• Suspension: Peschke, Benesova (both 2 years)

Russia

• Starters: Sharapova, Zvonareva, Kuznetsova, Pavlyuchenkova
• Substitutes: Kirilenko, Petrova, Vesnina, Makarova, Dushevina, Kleybanova, Rodina, Kudryavtseva, Manasieva-Dolonts, A. Panova, Kulikova, Pivovarova, Diatchenko, Safina, Bratchikova, Ivanova, Chakvetadze, Puchkova, A, Rodionova, Bovina, Likhovtseva, Lykina, Kournikova (absent), Myskina (absent)

Italy

• Starters: Schiavone, Pennetta, Vinci, Errani
• Substitutes: Brianti, Knapp, Giorgi, Camerin, Floris

France

• Starters: Bartoli, Razzano, Cornet, Coin
• Substitutes: M. Johansson, Kuryanovich-Bremond, Foretz Gacon, Bremond Beltrame, Mladenovic, Garcia, Pavlovic, Feuerstein
• Suspension: Parmentier (1 year)

USA

• Starters: Williams sisters, Mattek-Sands, King, Mchale
• Substitutes: Falconi, Stephens, Vandeweghe, Lepchenko, Riske, Luzhanska, Craybas, Glatch, Hampton, Cohen, Stevenson, Rolle, Spears, Lee-Waters
• Suspension: Oudin (1 year)

Slovakia

• Starters: Rybarikova, Kucova sisters, Cepelova
• Substitutes: Wienerova, Jurikova, Tabak
• Suspension: Cibulkova (1 year), Hantuchova (3 years)

[steevyjeors]

I think the domination for some teams are:

CZECH REPUBLIC

• Starters: Kvitova, Safarova, Hradecka, Zakopalova (formerly as Koukalova)
• Substitutes: Cetkovska, Zahlavova Strycova, Birnerova, Hlavackova, Zahlavova, Pliskova sisters, Voracova, Ondraskova, Uhlirova
• Suspension: Peschke, Benesova (both 2 years)

Welcome back, PierceCheng! Agree with your list, though I think Peschke will be suspended for a few more years. Also, shouldn't Vaidisova be back from her calm period by now, in your opinion?

[Gabbavnf]

The British LTA has confirmed that Judy Murray is the new Fed Cup Captain. Sh'll make her debut at Eilat, Israel februart 1-4.

She will also work with the LTA player team in mentoring and supporting promising British female coaches.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/ten...p-captain.html

[meridiasas]

Fed Cup first round venues announced

The ITF has announced that the Fed Cup by BNP Paribas World Group first round ties between Russia and Spain, and Belgium and Serbia will take place in Moscow and Charleroi respectively. All first round ties will be played on 4-5 February 2012.

The Russian Tennis Federation has nominated the Olympic Stadium for its opening round clash in February. The Olympic Stadium is also the host for the 2011 Fed Cup by BNP Paribas Final against Czech Republic on 5-6 November. The Belgian team will return to the Spiroudome in Charleroi which was last used by the team in this year’s semifinals then they fell to Czech Republic.

World Group II first round ties between Japan and Slovenia, and Slovak Republic and France will be played on hard courts in Tokyo and Bratislava respectively. Japan’s Fed Cup team will return to the Ariake Coliseum for the first time since 2008. Last week it proved to be lucky for their Davis Cup team who triumphed over India in the play-offs to move into the World Group for the first time since 1985. Slovak Republic will play at the Sibamac Arena, home of the Slovak Tennis Association’s National Tennis Centre.

Europe/Africa Zone Group I will be hosted by the Israel Tennis Association in Eilat on outdoor hard courts, and the Brazil Tennis Federation will stage Americas Zone Group I event in Curitiba on outdoor clay courts. Both events will take place during the week commencing 30 January 2012. Venues for World Group ties Italy versus Ukraine, and Germany against Czech Republic, and World Group II ties USA and Belarus, and Switzerland and Australia, plus Asia/Oceania Zone Groups I and II will be announced in This Week on Monday 3 October.

[Gabbavnf]

NZ women given one-year Fed Cup tennis ban

DAVID LONG Last updated 05:00 11/12/2011

New Zealand have been banned from playing in next month's Fed Cup by the International Tennis Federation.

The exclusion from the world's premier competition in women's tennis is because of the last-minute withdrawal Tennis NZ made from this year's tournament in Thailand in February, when top players Marina Erakovic and Sacha Jones were unavailable.

Both had wrist injuries and Tennis NZ didn't want to pay the $50,000 fee to send an inexperienced team.

Erakovic played at a tournament in Midland in the United States just a couple of days after the Fed Cup finished and Tennis NZ CEO Steve Johns conceded to the Sunday Star-Times at the time that a small injury was only part of the reason why she didn't compete.

After New Zealand pulled out it was expected the only consequence would be that they would automatically be relegated to Asia/Oceania group two.

However, the sport's governing body has come down hard and refused to allow this country to participate in January's event in Shenzen, China.

"We have been stood down for a year. That is the penalty for pulling out at the late stage we did this year," Johns confirmed. "We could have received a reasonably hefty fine for doing that, or been stood down.

"So we won't be competing in 2012 and will come back into the programme in 2013.

"It is disappointing, but we stand by the decision we made at the start of this year.

"It has focused our attention on the fact that we need to have some real depth in our women's programme and build up a strong team for 2013 and onwards."

When New Zealand play again in 2013 it will be against the likes of Iran, Kyrgyzstan, Sri Lanka, and Turkmenistan, a far cry from 1965 and 1971, when the Kiwis made it to the quarterfinals of the world group.

Erakovic was trying to climb back up the rankings in February, having slipped to No291 in the world from her high of 49 in July 2008.

Johns says Erakovic has told Tennis NZ she wants to play Fed Cup again, but admits that she may turn it down when the time comes.

"She's said to us that she's committed to playing for New Zealand and representing her country.

"What that means when it's time to play Fed Cup again is there is going to have to be a decision she'll have to make.

"It is that perennial issue we have with the guys and women of weighing up representing their country versus what's best for their ongoing career," he said.

"I don't think it's a problem that's ever going to go away.

"What we've got to do is make it as attractive as possible for them to play – we give them all the support we possibly can and build a sense of pride around playing for the silver fern."

TENNIS NZ has a battle on its hands trying to persuade the New Zealand Olympic Committee that Erakovic should go to the 2012 Olympics.

There are 56 direct acceptances for the women's singles at the London Games. Erakovic has a current ranking of 61, but a country can enter only a maximum of four players in the draw, and as there are more than that number of Russian and Czech players ahead of her in the rankings, the New Zealander would make it in as the 54th highest-ranked player.

But under the NZOC's current policy, the only way they'd approve her going to London is if she was ranked inside the top 16.

Johns says he's begun talks with the NZOC about whether they can make a special case for Erakovic as tennis is so different from other Olympic sports, but he says they're currently sticking fast to their self-imposed rules.

"She wants to play, she wants to go to the Olympics, and it's going to have to be an ongoing discussion we have with the NZOC.

"The unfortunate position we're in is that the ITF cut-off is June 11, so it is close to the Olympics and we're saying to the NZOC that she needs to know now if she makes the ITF cut-off she's going to go, but we're not at that point yet."

- Sunday Star Times

[bashansasasasa]

Re: USA vs Belarus in Massachusetts

Serena has committed to play for the USA - how often have we heard that story before? Serena is getting older, and far more injury-prone, and has her own agenda of things she wants to do. Maybe going to a wedding?

USA needs Serena to be there, even if not at her best -- but is anybody ready to start giving odds she'll pull out one more time?

- and NO, I am not just trying to bash Serena, I am trying to look at this objectively.

[tsamprasxx]

She also needs to play/make herself available to be able to play the Olympics, no?

Any other year, I'd probably agree with you, but the time is running out for her to play a fed cup match to be able to play in the Olympics, so I think it's more probable that she'd play, no?

Venus should probably commit soon too.

[Vomephems]

Re: USA vs Belarus in Massachusetts

Serena has committed to play for the USA - how often have we heard that story before? Serena is getting older, and far more injury-prone, and has her own agenda of things she wants to do. Maybe going to a wedding?

USA needs Serena to be there, even if not at her best -- but is anybody ready to start giving odds she'll pull out one more time?

- and NO, I am not just trying to bash Serena, I am trying to look at this objectively.

If the Olympics get canceled, Serena will not show up for the tie, if the Olympics are still one, Serena shows up.

After the Wetheim story in this week's mailbag, I can no longer be a Ree fan.

[zzbust]

If the Olympics get canceled, Serena will not show up for the tie, if the Olympics are still one, Serena shows up.

After the Wetheim story in this week's mailbag, I can no longer be a Ree fan.

The one about the airport? It was pretty disappointing.

[Vomephems]

The one about the airport? It was pretty disappointing.

Yup, that one. I don't care how big a star you are, there is no reason to treat someone badly when all they are doing is being nice to you. You can always see a famous person's true colors when the cameras aren't watching. Completely disappointing.

[bashansasasasa]

True colors, indeed -- if I had to describe SW in one word, I think it would be "petulant". She is out for #1, herself, and makes a poor Witness, IMHO.

[Xbcofega]

If the Olympics get canceled, Serena will not show up for the tie, if the Olympics are still one, Serena shows up.

What?

[Hmwmzian]

The one about the airport? It was pretty disappointing.

Maybe the guy was a tool, when I saw her at the airport in Melbourne she was nice to me when I spoke to her, even sitting for 17 hours in the same row as her and Venus they seemed perfectly nice to all the people who kept coming up to them and talking to them. Who knows....

[Vomephems]

Maybe the guy was a tool, when I saw here at the airport in Melbourne she was nice to me when I spoke to her, even sitting for 17 hours in the same row as her and Venus they seemed perfectly nice to all the people who kept coming up to them and talking to them. Who knows....

I know you are a fan, but considering her on-court outbursts, how she speaks of her opponents, how she handles herself in press conferences -- the case against her gets more damning with each passing incident.

[Vomephems]

What?

I was just speaking facetiously about the Olympics being canceled.

[fubyFrery]

Maybe the guy was a tool, when I saw here at the airport in Melbourne she was nice to me when I spoke to her, even sitting for 17 hours in the same row as her and Venus they seemed perfectly nice to all the people who kept coming up to them and talking to them. Who knows....

If the Olympics get canceled, Serena will not show up for the tie, if the Olympics are still one, Serena shows up.

After the Wetheim story in this week's mailbag, I can no longer be a Ree fan.

The one about the airport? It was pretty disappointing.

don't know if that particular story is true or not but

I share this sentiment:


Re fan encounters -1) How do we know it's true? 2) Your perception is not fact. 3) How do we know it's true?

[Vomephems]

Re fan encounters -1) How do we know it's true? 2) Your perception is not fact. 3) How do we know it's true?

Since this anecdote appeared on cnnsi.com, you have to assume the legal department sufficiently vetted the story. Nonetheless, there is always the possibility it was a lie.

If this appeared on a fan site or blog, less credence would have to be given to it.

[Xbcofega]

I was just speaking facetiously about the Olympics being canceled.

I'm slow today. This is basically me


And I would never base my judgement of a player off of one anonymous fan encounter. Luckily (or not so lucky for Serena), she's been around for a while, so I don't have to.

[fubyFrery]

Since this anecdote appeared on cnnsi.com, you have to assume the legal department sufficiently vetted the story. Nonetheless, there is always the possibility it was a lie.

If this appeared on a fan site or blog, less credence would have to be given to it.

Humm but there is nothing wrong about this story, it is just a matter of the fan perception.