Fed Cup Preview: Russia at Italy

This year the Fed Cup kicks off its new format, with only eight teams competing in the elite "World Group I" to lift the Fed Cup for 2005. The Fed Cup final also moves from December to the week after the US Open.

"The changes that the ITF has made to Fed Cup come in response to the views of the players and our member National Associations," said ITF President Francesco Ricci "Itti" Bitti. "We believe that the new format can only enhance the competition and bring it closer to the very successful Davis Cup model. Fed Cup is, if not the most important, surely one of the most important team competitions for women in sport and the ITF is convinced that these changes will allow Fed Cup to maintain this position for the future."

Tennis-X will preview one of the World Group I ties each day leading to the Saturday start of the first round of the 2005 Fed Cup:

Russia at Italy
Site: Circolo Tennis Brindisi, Brindisi, Italy
Surface: Red clay outdoors
Ball Type: Dunlop Fort Duck

The defending champion Russians meet the Italians for the first time in Fed Cup play in 25 years, with French Open runner-up Elena Dementieva heading the Russian squad after Anastasia Myskina dropped out with a bad shoulder. Nadia Petrova looks like the front-runner to replace Myskina. The Italians will look to ride the home court advantage and somehow put up a fight with the underpowered foursome of Flavia Pennetta, Tathiana Garbin, Francesca Schiavone, and Maria-Elena Camerin. Look for Russia to advance to the second round against the U.S.