Sharapova Out; Russia Names Top 10ers Zvonareva, Kuznetsova for Fed Cup Semis vs Italy
Posted on April 1, 2009
World No. 5-ranked Vera Zvonareva, who won the Indian Wells title last month, and No. 8 Svetlana Kuznetsova were named to represent Russia in singles for the Fed Cup semifinals at Italy.
Russian captain Shamil Tarpishchev announced his squad on Wednesday, also naming Top 10er Nadia Petrova, the slumping Anna Chakvetadze, along with Alisa Kleibanova, Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova and Yekaterins Makarova.
Russia is the defending Fed Cup champion, and will face Italy on April 15-16 in Nova Yardinia. In the other semifinal, the U.S. will travel to Brno to face the Czech Republic, with U.S. captain Mary Jo Fernandez yet to announce her squad.
Maria Sharapova, yet to play a singles match in 2009 after rotator cuff surgery, was left off the Russian squad. Sharapova played doubles-only in a first-round loss at Indian Wells, and is expected to make her singles debut for 2009 in Rome during the claycourt season.
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