It was a great weekend for Fed Cup with several ties coming down to a live 5th rubber, and in the end two former Eastern bloc countries will compete for the championship, likely in Moscow.
World Group I Semis
RUS 5 ITA 0 No real surprise here. Zvonareva and Kuznetsova both came to play, which meant the Italians really had no hope.
CZE 3 BEL 2 Kvitova proved to be too tough for the Belgians, though the home team did manage to force a live doubles match but the Benesova/Zahlavova Strycova got it for the Czechs.
World Group I Playoffs
GER 5 USA 0 Not a big surprise here but I did think the Americans could find a way to take a point or two. Mattek-Sands getting hurt didn't help. Germany have a pretty decent team with Petkovic and Goerges, not to mention Lisicki if she finds her game.
ESP 4 FRA 1 A great tie turned in by Martinez Sanchez and Spain was too deep behind her. I'm surprised the French didn't give Cornet a look.
SRB 3 SVK 2 After the Slovaks won in Serbia at this stage last year, the Serbs got their revenge. Some twists and turns here after Jankovic was not in the lineup on day one and it ended 1-1. But then JJ came through after Ivanovic got hurt. Cibulkova won 2 rubbers for Slovakia but then didn't play in the doubles as Jankovic/Krunic beat Hantuchova/Rybarikova in a thriller, 9-7 in the 5th.
UKR 3 AUS 2 I guess this is why they say: This is Fed Cup, anything can happen. Dokic never showed up and really neither did Rodionova, who lost 3 rubbers for the Aussies. Groth won both her singles easily by Tsurenko and Savchuk each beat Rodionova, and then teamed up and saved match points in the doubles to beat Groth/Rodionova 6-3 in the 3rd. Even without Stosur and Dokic, this is still a head scratcher.
World Group II Playoffs
BLR 5 EST 0 Kanepi ended up with a foot injury so this tie was never in doubt. Estonia won only two games on day 1.
SLO 3 CAN 2 After the two no. 1's won on day 1, Hercog beat Marino to give the Slovenes the edge but then junior star Bouchard bailed the Canadians out the force a live doubles rubber. But Slovenia took it with their veteran presence of Srebotnik. Canada loses two live 5th rubbers away on clay and will be sent back to the Americas zone.
SUI 4 SWE 1 I really thought this would be closer, but the Swedes were never really in it. Schyder and Bacsinszky get the Swiss promoted.
Looking back at my picks, I have to pat myself on the back for picking 8 of the 9 ties correctly, only missing on Ukraine. I also correctly guessed 4 live 5th rubbers (though substituting ESP/FRA for UKR/AUS)
So here are the groups for 2012:
World Group I: Belgium, Czech Republic, Germany, Italy, Russia, Serbia, Spain, Ukraine
World Group II: Australia, Belarus, France, Slovakia, Slovenia, Switzerland, United States, Argentina/Japan
France and USA drop out of the top world group for the first time ever. Slovakia and Australia (and Slovenia for that matter) are right back where they were in 2010. Germany, Serbia, and Ukraine return to the World Group I after just a one-year absence. Spain has had a 2-year absence after they lost in the final in 2008. Belarus last competed at the World Group II in 1999 while Switzerland is back after a one-year absence.
In Davis Cup Asia/Oceania Zonal Group IV, Kyrgyzstan and Bangladesh were promoted to group III, defeated Iraq and Jordan, respectively. Bangladesh had been demoted last year and now returns while the Kyrgyz find success in their return to Davis Cup action after not competing since 2005.
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