Russian tennis was crumbling even before legendary captain Shamil Tarpischev bailed out last year in favor of new Russian captain Anastasia Myskina. The iron-handed Tarpischev always seemed to pull together the top Russians, as evident by Fed Cup titles in four of five years from 2004-08. But over the last few years, due to payout squabbles and changes in the Russian sports hierarchy, Russian Fed Cup has become a joke. All the top Russian players have again blown off this tie for Mother Russia, and the rookie captain Myskina now has at her disposal Victoria Kan (ranked No. 160), Irina Khromacheva (240), Valeria Solovyeva (247), and Veronika Kudermetova (689) in her first tie as captain. Good luck with that. Australia will post with their top player and former Slam winner Sam Stosur, in addition to Casey Dellacqua and Ashleigh Barty, and will ease into the semifinals. This is an “F” on the watchability report card.

Friends Sara Errani and Roberta Vinci led Italy to their fourth Fed Cup title in eight years.

“She’s amazing. We were joking that she’s like a soldier,” Vesnina said of Makarova. “She has a bleeding knee and she won such an amazing match — one of the most emotional matches she has won. And then in the doubles, she was feeling tired, but she’s a great fighter.”

SERENA WILLIAMS: Well, you really want to be able to win. I think in general I feel a little bit of pressure when I’m playing for the team because I want to be able to do really well. You’re not just playing for yourself. You don’t want to let your friends and your team down.

Defending champion Czech Republic is in charge early in Fed Cup play.

Over the weekend the defending champion Czech Republic moved into the final behind current Wimbledon holder Petra Kvitova, and in the final they will meet the hungry Serbian squad, powered by former No. 1s Ana Ivanovic and Jelena Jankovic, with the Serbs in their first-ever final.

Serena Williams will have to fly to the Ukraine if she wants to play the London Olympics.

The Williams sisters and Team USA host Belarus this weekend in Fed Cup.

Victoria Azarenka met the press in Worcester, Mass as she prepares for a Fed Cup battle against the Williams sisters and team USA.

With no one ranked in the Top 100, should Switzerland have pulled Martina Hingis and Patty Schnyder out of retirement against Sam Stosur and Australia?

Venus and Serena Williams confirmed to play Fed Cup in two weekends.

Mattek-Sands was injured, but clay is her worst surface. The Williams sisters never play Fed Cup, and they only would have played this tie to maintain their Olympics eligibility. Venus Williams reportedly retained her eligibility for the Olympics by hopping on the plane to Stuttgart and sitting in the stands for the U.S. How sad is that?

Watch Caroline Wozniacki use her face to hit a volley.

Notes on the US v. Belgium first round Fed Cup tie.

Fernandez took a chance on Vandeweghe after a reportedly bad practice week from Melanie Oudin. Oudin has had a down year since her quarterfinal breakthrough at the US Open last year. Fernandez benched Oudin on Saturday, then on Sunday Oudin showed her veteran composure by not only upsetting Top 10er Francesca Schiavone but blowing out the Italian, allowing her only four games.