OSTRAVA, CZECH REPUBLIC: Samantha Stosur admits that she would like to win a Fed Cup by BNP Paribas title one day but for now she is just looking for Australia to cement their place amongst the world's best team as they face Czech Republic in Ostrava in the first round.
The Australian side embarked on a 36-hour journey to come back from summer Down Under to be greeted by sub-zero temperatures in the European winter but Stosur is confident they have acclimatised. They also have the benefit, in the form of Jarmilla Gajdosova, of a player who knows the country and customs well and is keen to perform well in familiar surroundings.
Petra Kvitova and Lucie Safarova headline the Czech team and look back on pleasant memories of playing the Final last November in the capital, Prague. Kvitova is set to play Stosur in one of the matches of the weekend on Sunday but will not be drawn into looking ahead of her opening rubber against Gajdosova.
Jarmilla Gajdosova (AUS) - 08/02/2013
Samantha Stosur (AUS) - 08/02/2013
Petra Kvitova (CZE) - 08/02/2013
Lucie Safarova (CZE) - 08/02/2013