The New Faces of Fed Cup

The ladies take to the courts this weekend to contest their Fed Cup quarterfinals, and while there are more than a few powerhouse names in the draws, there are a couple fresher faces in the field. And they might just have what it takes to cause a stir during this year's battles.

Czech Republic vs. Australia

The two-time defending champion Czechs kick off their attempt to three-peat with a cadre of well-heeled athletes. Petra Kvitova may be a shade off her career high ranking, but is an impressive 16-6 when playing for her country, and Lucie Safarova, only 3-4 this year, was nevertheless the surprise star in the 2012 campaign. Meanwhile the duo of Andrea Hlavackova and Lucie Hradecka rebounded from a second round loss in Melbourne to make the final in Paris -- if this tie comes down to the doubles rubber, the pair could very well seal the deal.

But the Australians could surprise us, and not in the way you'd think. Bumped out of the World Group last year, they return to the big girls' draw led by veteran Sam Stosur -- but with only one, hard-fought win on her record this year, the Aussies might look elsewhere for leadership. Former top-thirty singles player Jarmila Gajdosova is coming off a mixed doubles title at the Australian Open, and young Ashleigh Barty teamed with Casey Dellacqua for a surprising runners-up finish in the ladies' draw too. They might be the lesser-known names on the squad, but it certainly doesn't mean they can't grab the headlines this weekend.

U.S. vs. Italy

In a repeat of the 2009 and 2010 championship round, Italy will take on a Williams-less U.S. team in Rimini. The #1 doubles team of Sara Errani and Roberta Vinci will represent their country's bid for a fourth trophy, but the two top-twenty singles players will be focused on clinching the tie before they ever get to the last rubber. They'll want to bring their A-game, too -- Errani hasn't been able to repeat her successes from early last year and fell unceremoniously to Mona Barthel in the Paris final, while Vinci is only 5-4 on the season. And if the headliners split singles rubbers, the Italians may have to rely on sub-hundred players like Karin Knapp and Nastassja Burnett in doubles. And that could open the door for their opponents.

The Americans are not only missing their veterans, though -- Melbourne standout Sloane Stephens pulled out with (another?) ab strain and was replaced by rising star Jamie Hampton, playing singles in her first Fed Cup tie. With these absentees, fellow newbie Varvara Lepchenko is the leader for the U.S. -- still fresh to the sport's elite, she's only won one match this year, but having notched wins over Francesca Schiavone, Jelena Jankovic and Dominika Cibulkova in the past twelve months, she may be ready to deliver. One-time darlingMelanie Oudin will also be called on -- she's relegated to the doubles rubber with Liezel Huber, but a few good plays here might get her the confidence she needs to mount a comeback.

Russia vs. Japan

The Russians are no strangers to Fed Cup glory -- having won all four of their trophies in the last decade, they should have history on their side against the upstart Japanese, playing in their first World Group draw since 2007. The favorites will be missing some of their biggest stars, though -- perennial powerhouses Maria Sharapova, Nadia Petrova and resurgent Svetlana Kuznetsova are all off the docket -- but they could very well make up for it with players like Melbourne Cinderella Ekaterina Makarova and first-time titleist Elena Vesnina. Rounded out by teenager Magdalena Gasparyan, ranked well into triple digits, it might not be the A-list you expect, but these ladies know how to turn up the heat when needed.

Their opponents, though, have been known to cause a few upsets themselves over the years. Ayumi Morita repeat a career-best third round showing in Melbourne and upset top-seeded Ana Ivanovic in Pattaya City. Uber-veteran Kimiko Date Krumm, who's been playing Fed Cup since 1989, climbed her way back into the top hundred -- again -- with an upset of Nadia Petrova Down Under. A win over a tried and tested Russian team is far from certain, of course, but there's really no telling what could happen when national pride in on the line.

Serbia vs. Slovak Republic

Perhaps the most interesting quarterfinal, though, pits last year's runner-up Serbia against long-time also-ran Slovakia. Possibly unfortunate for the on-paper favorite, though, they'll be missing their top two players in Ana Ivanovic and Jelena Jankovic. That leaves Bojana Jovankovski leading a team completed by two teenagers and the world #92. Vesna Dolonc probably scored her best result last year in Moscow, where she made the quarterfinals, but Aleksandra Krunic and fifteen-year-old Ivana Jorovic have barely put up any numbers to speak of on Tour. But with a couple years of Fed Cup play under her belt, she might be the veteran on the squad this rubber.

The holes in the armor might give the Slovaks a chance to regroup. Dominika Cibulkova headlines the field, but seems to have created a pattern of one deep run followed by several early losses -- she made the final in Sydney, but that was the only time this year she's made it out of the second round. Veteran Daniela Hantuchova will also look to put some wins on her scoreboard -- plagued much of last year by injury that forced her to skip the French Open and played part in three subsequent Major first round losses, she did make the quarters in Sydney with a win over Sara Errani. Still, this tie could easily come down to the doubles rubber, allowing often spotty but certainly talented Magdalena Rybarikova a chance to shine. If the team performs to their ability, it wouldn't be the biggest shock to see an upset here.

---

There's a lot at stake for the ladies this weekend -- especially with so many lesser-known players getting a chance to shine. When all is said, I wouldn't be surprised to see some new contenders left battling for this year's Fed Cup trophy. And if they make some real strides over the next few days, it could set the stage for even more successes this season.

Fed Cup Semi Preview: Prepared to Dominate

There's a lot of star power in the field for this weekend's Fed Cup action -- and it's not just among the teams playing for a berth in November's final. And with something more important than a trophy on the line -- national pride! -- expect all these players to step up to the plate over the next few days, and make some statements that could last the rest of the year.

Belgium vs. Japan

It what will likely be the most under-the-radar tie in the World Group playoffs, little-heralded Japan will take on a Clijsters-less Belgium. With no player ranked in the top two hundred in singles, the visiting Europeans will have to dig deep to make a dent, and the Japanese will look to take advantage. Twenty-two year old Ayumi Morita hasn't scored many wins this year, but she did notch victories over the likes of Ana Ivanovic and Petra Kvitova in 2011. And uber-veteran Kimiko Date-Krumm, just one ranking spot below her countrywoman, has the experience to lead her team back to the big leagues. And this might be the perfect opportunity for them to really steal the spotlight.

Slovak Republic vs. Spain

There will be a few more heavy hitters in Marbella, where 2008 runners-up Spain take on the Slovaks, but they're not on the side you'd expect. Dominika Cibulkova, who very nearly destroyed world #1 Victoria Azarenka in Miami, is fresh off a second-place finish in Barcelona and looks ready to turn her year around. And Daniela Hantuchova, the winningest Fed Cup player on the team, already has a title to her name this year. Against a slate of Spaniards led by sub-sixty ranked Silvia Soler-Espinoza, admittedly a woman who has been climbing the ladder this year, you have to give the edge to the eastern Europeans.

U.S. vs. Ukraine

The U.S. looks to make its return to the World Group when it takes on recently-ousted Ukraine, and they're bringing out the big guns to do it. Serena Williams and #1 doubles player Liezel Huber lead the pack along with rising stars Christina McHale and Sloane Stephens. It's a relatively young team, but one packed with talent, and it could be a chance for the newbies on the squad to get some invaluable playing time. Their opponents haven't made a big dent in the rankings, so it shouldn't be too tough a weekend. But they shouldn't be too glib -- Lesia Tsurenko, yet to crack the top hundred, has nevertheless beaten Shahar Peer and Francesca Schiavone this year and might prove to be a challenge. Still, the U.S. looks poised to advance easily, which might set the entire team up for more success this year.

Australia vs. Germany

In what's quiet possibly the most talent-filled playoff tie, players accustomed to meeting late in tournaments will fight for the last spot in next year's World Group. Current U.S. Open champ Sam Stosur leads her team against four top-twenty German players. But injury may somewhat dampen the quality of play -- Andrea Petkovic returns to play after a low back stress fracture forced her out of the Australian Open and Sabine Lisicki, who left the Charleston court in tears with an ankle sprain, will sit the sidelines. But with players like Angelique Kerber and Julia Goerges pinch-hitting, the Germans should have what it takes to roll through the weekend.

Serbia vs. Russia

The stakes only go higher when we move onto the World Group. Four-time champions Russia have home field advantage against the upstart Serbs, but without their top two players, they might be at a disadvantage. Veteran Svetlana Kuznetsova is famously fickle and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova hasn't held her own much this year. That leaves world #21 Maria Kirilenko carrying the torch, and hopefully she'll be able to handle it. On the opposing side, the burden is on Ana Ivanovic's shoulders -- back at #15 she's passed compatriot Jelena Jankovic in the rankings and has had the most success on the team this year. And for the the player(s) who eventually emerge victorious this weekend, it could set the course for the rest of the season.

Italy vs. Czech Republic

The defending Fed Cup champion Czechs will try to follow up on their first-round success when they take on the Italians, who captured the crown the previous two years. Wimbledon titleist Petra Kvitova teams with Charleston finalist Lucie Safarova and a pair of Grand Slam doubles champions, so there's plenty of skill on the slate. But everyone on the Italian slate is ranked in the top thirty for singles -- and three of them are top twenty in doubles. Their secret weapon may in fact be Sara Errani, who won both titles just last week in Barcelona, and seems to be having her breakout season. While the Czechs are probably the on-paper favorites, this battle could go down to the wire, and I'm not sure I'd be surprised to see the upset.

---

So as the ladies take to the courts this weekend, there's a lot on the line. Not everyone has a shot at the Fed Cup trophy this year, but that doesn't mean they can't all make a big difference in their seasons. And a good showing over the next few days could be just what they each need.

Politics & Tennis Don't Mix

The Middle East is a hotbed of all sorts of tension -- religious, political, and now apparently athletic.

The Barclays Tennis Championship in Dubai hadn't even begun when controversy sprang up. Officials at the United Arab Emirates denied Shahar Peer, a native of Israel, a visa to enter the country one day before she was to begin competing in the fifty-six player draw. While no reason was given for the refusal, officials speculated it was due to anti-Israel sentiments in the Gulf State.

It wasn't the first time Peer faced the weight of political pressure. Last month in New Zealand protesters stormed her third round match against Elena Dementieva, days after Israel invaded Gaza. And in 2006 she was forced to split from her doubles partner Sania Mirza amid objections from Indian Muslims.

But this time the UAE's decision sparked the interest of WTA chairman Larry Scott, who said the Dubai tournament could be stricken from the women's tennis calendar as a result of their treatment of Peer -- and for a contest that attracted every one of the sport's top ten players, and eighteen of the top twenty-five, that could mean a big loss of revenue for the state. A recent New York Times article told of how the spreading global recession is beginning to hit even this once-hot mecca -- I wonder how these latest developments could stain Dubai's reputation. It just doesn't seem to me that such external factors should influence how the sport is played.

Meanwhile Japan's Ayumi Morita, who was given entrée to the tournament after Peer was forced to pull out, won her first round match against a still-struggling Anna Chakvetadze. And that wasn't the only upset in early round action -- qualifier Urszula Radwanska beat out her ninth-seeded older sister Aggie in the first round while Auckland finalist Elena Vesnina took out compatriot Svetlana Kuznetsova in the second.

If these results are any indication there will certainly be a lot more excitement in Dubai over the next week, and maybe even more controversy -- but here's hoping all the action is kept on the courts, and out of politics.