Fed Cup Week Results

The first week of Fed Cup action is complete and we quite a few great matches and ties.  I actually managed to do decent job on my predictions.

World Group

ITA 4 AUS 1, Stosur pretty much laid an egg for the Aussies.
RUS 3 FRA 2, The Russians overcame their shaky day 1 start to prevail in the doubles.
CZE 3 SVK 2, Not as close as it seems, the Slovaks were totally outplayed.
BEL 4 USA 1, We got the expected result here.

World Group II

ESP 4 EST 1, I was surprised by this result, the Spanish girls don't have to play on clay.
GER 4 SLO 1, Germany was just too strong and too deep.
UKR 3 SWE 2, Call this the Kateryna Bondarenko show and Ukraine pulls an upset.
SRB 3 CAN 2, And this the Bojana Jovanovski show, could she be the Serbs best player?

Zonal Groups

Europe/Africa I:  SUI 2, NED 1 and BLR 2, POL 0 in the promotion ties.  A surprising result from the Dutch as Romania was never clicking.  Is Rus on the rise?  We got what we wanted in a Azarenka-Radwanska matchup after the Poles edged out the home Israelis after Radwanska beat Peer.  But Vika came through and Belarus has a team deserving of a world group II spot with Azarenka and Govortsova.

In the relegation ties it was GRE 2, DEN 1 and BUL 2, LAT 0.  I really do feel bad for Wozniacki here, but the Danes need to find SOMEONE to play alongside Caro in doubles to at least keep them in group I.  Bulgaria survives even without Pironkova.

Americas I:  ARG 3, COL 0.  As expected.  However, the Argentines somehow managed to lose to Paraguay with Dulko losing in the doubles.  Pool B came down to the final doubles with Colombia knocking out Brazil.

In the relegation ties it was PAR 2, MEX 1 and BOL 2, CHI 1.  Mexico goes right back where they came from, along with Chile.  Peru lives to fight another day after being promoted last year.

Asia/Pacific I:  JPN 3 UZB 0.  China nearly made it through without Li but in the end a deep Japanese team advances after beating down the Uzbeks in the final.
TPE 2 IND 1 in the relegation.  Even with Mirza, India doesn't win a tie.

Asia/Pacific II:  INA 2 HKG 1.  Indonesia returns to group I

Here are the playoff groupings with the draw to be held on Wednesday:

World Group I playoffs:  Australia, France, Germany, Serbia, Slovakia, Spain, Ukraine, United States
World Group II playoffs:  Argentina, Belarus, Canada, Estonia, Japan, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland


There was also some men's tennis that took place last week.  :-)

Congrats to Tommy Robredo, Ivan Dodig, and Kevin Anderson for winning titles in Santiago, Zagreb, and Johannesburg!  Dodig and Anderson do in their home country with the South Africa winning in his hometown.  That was also their 1st career titles, for Robredo it was title #10 but his last was in Buenos Aires in 2009.