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Post by Brinyi on Sept 18, 2007 10:56:11 GMT -5
2008 World Group
Russia (s)
v
Israel (c)(*)
USA(s)(c)
v
Germany
China, P.R (c)(*)
v
France(s)
Spain
v
Italy (s)(c)
Key
(s) = seeded nation
(c) = choice of ground
(*) = choice of ground decided by lot
First round ties to be played 2-3 February.
Seeded Nations - accorded to ITF Fed Cup Nations Ranking: 1. Russia, 2. Italy, 3. France, 4. USA
2008 World Group II
Belgium (s)
v
Ukraine (c)(*)
Japan(s)(c)
v
Croatia
Slovak Rep
v
Czech Republic(s)(c)
Argentina (c)(*)
v
Austria (s)
Key
(s) = seeded nation
(c) = choice of ground
(*) = choice of ground decided by lot
Ties to be played 2-3 February.
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Post by sasha on Sept 18, 2007 11:12:57 GMT -5
Another Italy/Spain tie on clay, I assume. Woohoo!
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Post by Brinyi on Jan 23, 2008 11:46:29 GMT -5
Italy select Errani
The Italian Federation have announced that World No. 65 Sara Errani has been called up by Italy for the first time for the Fed Cup by BNP Paribas tie against Spain.
The 20-year-old will join Fed Cup veterans Tathiana Garbin, Flavia Pennetta and Francesca Schiavone in the World Group first round match in Naples on February 2-3.
Italy, who won the competition in 2006 and were runners-up to Russia last year, are without Mara Santangelo and Roberta Vinci because of injury.
"This is still a strong team with the new addition of Sara Errani, who has done very well recently much to Janie's great joy. Like all Fed Cup matches it has to be considered difficult," Italy coach Corrado Barazzutti told FIT's website.
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Post by Brinyi on Jan 29, 2008 10:13:07 GMT -5
"I had a hard programme in Melbourne - physically and mentally - so I am tired. Another thing is the problem with my injured heel. I was seeing the doctor throughout my stay in Australia because of it. I am hoping for some kind of a miracle which will improve my condition.
"Everything is up in the air right now and I will probably decide shortly before the match in Brno.
"I do not want to play, for example, only one match in Brno. I want to play at 100% in every match I will play there. On the other hand, I have to be 100% sure I can play at full pace."
-- D.Hantuchova
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Post by sasha on Jan 29, 2008 13:03:44 GMT -5
So, the only top 10 players left in this are "Russians", Sharapova and Chak, which we're not only playing because we want to compete in the Olympics.
It's like a Tier IVA field.
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Post by corswandt on Jan 29, 2008 14:22:46 GMT -5
So, the only top 10 players left in this are "Russians", Sharapova and Chak, which we're not only playing because we want to compete in the Olympics. It's like a Tier IVA field. Complete with Nikki V, The Terror of the Tier III. There's even talk of Danka bailing out. France has no worries - no Marion? The Chinese will get razzed anyway. |
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Post by corswandt on Jan 31, 2008 16:39:34 GMT -5
Local channel SportTV has rushed to get the rights to the Israel tie, now a last minute addition to their schedule. Amazing how much the name "Sharapova" sells.
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Post by Calico on Feb 1, 2008 21:12:02 GMT -5
I have a feeling Russia will have a struggle against Israel. And I find it peciuliar Safina is playing singles instead of Chakvetadze.  |
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Post by sasha on Feb 1, 2008 21:50:45 GMT -5
It's not that peculiar with how awful Anna has played so far this year. Although, Dinara isn't exactly tearing it up either.
I wonder why Dementieva, Petrova, etc... aren't on the team.
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Post by Brinyi on Feb 2, 2008 14:23:41 GMT -5
That was amusing. Safina lost and the fans were imitating Shrieky's shriek in mid-point.
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Post by Brinyi on Feb 2, 2008 14:25:09 GMT -5
Italy is down 0-2 to Spain.
China up 2-0 to France.
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Post by sasha on Feb 2, 2008 16:57:12 GMT -5
AMG and NLV moonballing their opponents to death!
Lindsay Ann Leach, Australian Open favorite, loses in straights to unknown Lisicki in SoCal.
Now the USian hopes rely on challenger scrub, Harkleroad. How things have fallen.
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Post by Calico on Feb 2, 2008 20:11:19 GMT -5
Ashley won Leena.  That was a clutch win for Pebbles. And Maria Sharapova came up big in her Fed Cup debut for Russia against Israel and an out of control by tennis standards Israeli crowd.  |
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Post by sasha on Feb 2, 2008 20:38:26 GMT -5
I think I could have won that match with the way fat Malek played today.
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Post by :rolleyes: on Feb 2, 2008 22:25:26 GMT -5
I actually went to wtaworld today, :red: :red:, and i'll have to admit that my previous notion that sharpie's fans were halfway decent was completely wrong.
They are in Serenafans league if not beyond that. Remember alla kudryatseva, it is FUNNY not bad, to mimic grunts.
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Post by janie on Feb 3, 2008 8:07:11 GMT -5
Lindsay, oh no!   |
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Post by Calico on Feb 3, 2008 8:44:22 GMT -5
Russia won both of their singles matches today against Israel in Israel to win the Fed Cup Tie 3-1. Maria Sharapova routed Shahar Peer 6-1 6-1 to hand Peer her first ever Fed Cup loss and Anna Chakvetadze routined Tzipora Obziler 6-4 6-2. Russia now awaits the United States/Germany winner in the 2008 Fed Cup semifinals.
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Post by sasha on Feb 3, 2008 11:09:48 GMT -5
Lisicki looks like Vesnina, but without the voluptuousness. And she's already wearing that worn out t-shirt that Mirza does.
I'd say she played well with 15 aces and lots of winners, but the opponent doesn't move, etc...
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Post by corswandt on Feb 3, 2008 16:48:37 GMT -5
I actually went to wtaworld today,  , and i'll have to admit that my previous notion that sharpie's fans were halfway decent was completely wrong. They are in Serenafans league if not beyond that. Remember alla kudryatseva, it is FUNNY not bad, to mimic grunts. I didn't find it amusing, but then again I wish all Fed Cup crowds to be thrown into a ditch and roasted with a flamethrower. What *was* funny was watching baby faced Chak doing a Nole and pumping herself up by turning against the crowd. Maria seemed to relish the hostility as well. The stadium in Israel looked like a chamber pot, and the court was painted a weird ashen grey. More weirdness - bounce was low, but the ball slowed down considerably upon impact. The first day the ball was visible only on occasion due to the camera angle and the sun's glare. This was fixed for the second day (why can't Monte Carlo do the same?). Maria and Chak were often quite good. Peer is shite. One-dimensional, crap FH, totally passive, boring, unable to move the ball around and build points, but grating as hell - she makes the sisters and Sharapova look restrained. On the match vs Peer, Maria was just spinning her 1st serves in for some reason. But it's official - she can now hit kickers. |
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Post by corswandt on Feb 3, 2008 16:53:45 GMT -5
And Nikki V., the Queen of the Tier III, won all three of her matches.  |
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Post by corswandt on Feb 3, 2008 18:22:31 GMT -5
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Post by :rolleyes: on Feb 3, 2008 20:06:05 GMT -5
corswandt you were one of those bad maria fans. You gave Peer shit for laughing at the crowd's mimics. It was funny when Kudryatseva mocked Venus and it was funny yesterday.
Are you going to give maria shit for encouraging Chak's antics, considering you gave peer shit for encouraging the crowd even though she really didn't
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Post by sasha on Feb 3, 2008 22:42:44 GMT -5
Awesome. I love Anna even more now. She's such a crazy bitch. And those stupid Jews deserve it, as well. They were asses the entire tie. Damn Middle East. And Maria was cheering like she always does for her "homeland". Her chip probably didn't recognize what was happening. |
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Post by Self-Love, Baby! on Feb 3, 2008 22:44:58 GMT -5
OMG. I didn't know about any of this crap until now. This is hilarious. Israeli fans have always been borderline disrespectful, but I've definitely never seen anything like that before from a crowd.
And it makes me love Chakva like 100 times more! I didn't know she had that kind of UMPHHH in her. I especially lvoe when the crowd goes crazy cheering for her first serve fault at 4-2 in the second set and then she calmly recollects, gets the second serve in, and hits a beautiful backhand winner. More crazy fist pumps and roars.
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Post by Self-Love, Baby! on Feb 3, 2008 22:46:33 GMT -5
When did Kudryatseva mock Venus? Is that the girl who almost beat Venus in the first round of Wimbledon last year?
I wish Chak could always be this intense. She needed that fire right now because her game has been sucking all year.
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Post by sasha on Feb 3, 2008 22:51:56 GMT -5
Watch more Chak matches, she's always been a nut on court. Not at that level, but she does stuff like pump her fist multiple times on routine errors at 2-2 from her opponent.
Looks so sweet and innocent, but you can't shake the crazy Russian out of us.
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Post by Self-Love, Baby! on Feb 3, 2008 22:56:13 GMT -5
I didn't know she was capable of all that. Usually in the past I've seen her pout and/or cry when losing. Also, how ugly was that court? The hot pink? That was blasphemous. |
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Post by Calico on Feb 3, 2008 23:42:06 GMT -5
Seeing Anna on Youtube so pumped up to beat Obziler and the obnoxious Israel crowd was so great to see! Anna showed the kind of fire and desire I wasn't sure she had. But seeing her pound her chest and pump her fist at the crowd was shocking! I loved it! ;D And Anna looked great in her maroon Adidas outfit. |
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Post by sasha on Feb 3, 2008 23:53:48 GMT -5
I think all Fed Cup sites use that pink background the last few years. It's awful.
Spain's site had to be worse, though. And they don't have an excuse of being a poor little country.
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Post by lexpretend on Feb 4, 2008 5:12:06 GMT -5
THE CHAK ATTACK!!! I never knew she had it in her either! Hearts. That was total "I was tied up by armed robbers a month ago, bitches, you think I'm scared of your puny boos?" It was fun to see Shriek giggling and cheerleading THE CHAK ATTACK too.
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That was a clutch win for Pebbles.
