 Photographer: Golovanov/Kivrin
Date: 25 Apr 2004 |  Photographer: Sergio Llamera
Date: 09 Jul 2004 |  Photographer: Corinne Dubreuil
Date: 09 Jul 2004 |  Photographer: Sergio Carmona
Date: 11 Jul 2004 |  Photographer: GEPA
Date: 11 Jul 2004 |  Photographer: Andrey Golovanov
Date: 25 Apr 2003 |
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| 19 Nov 2004 - Eleanor Preston | |
| Russia Expects |
So much has been written about the rise of Russian women’s tennis this year that it’s sometimes hard to conceive of any other team winning the 2004 Fed Cup. After all, you can hardly argue with the Grand Slam victories of Anastasia Myskina, Maria Sharapova and Svetlana Kuznetsova, not to mention the achievements of Roland Garros and US Open runner-up Elena Dementieva. If that didn’t convince you of the country’s dominance then a glance down the year-end WTA Tour rankings would – four of the top ten and nine of the top 20 players come from Russia.
Looking at the success Russian players have enjoyed this year you’d be forgiven for thinking that all the Russian Fed Cup team of Myskina, Kuznetsova, Vera Zvonereva and Elena Likhovtseva has to do is turn up at the Krylatskoe Ice Stadium in Moscow on 24 November and waltz through the semifinals against Austria and onto to victory. Not quite. As a hundred vanquished Fed and Davis Cup players will tell you, favouritism means very little when it comes to team tennis.
For starters Austria represents a dangerous foe, even if players like Sybille Bammer, Daniela Kix, Yvonne Meusberger and Patricia Wartusch cannot claim the extraordinary resumes of their Russian counterparts. The Austrians are currently seventh in the Fed Cup team rankings, only two places behind Russian in fifth and won the last encounter between the two nations, in 1994.
Russia will, of course, have the advantage of a stadium full of Moscovites cheering them on, but the benefits of playing at home as favourites are often outweighed by the burden of pressure it places on the players, especially since Russia has never won a Fed Cup title.
The Davis Cup title won by Russia's men so memorably in 2002 has also added to home hopes. Last year was no different to this year - the Russian Federation brought the finals week to Moscow in expectation that a women's team title would follow the men's success, but it was not to be as France deftly performed a smash and grab.
Even if they get past Austria, the Russians would face still competition from the two other teams in the semifinal line-up, France and Spain. France will be without an injured Amelie Mauresmo for the semifinal against the Spanish but under Fed Cup rules the World No. 2 could just possibly return for the final . Even if she doesn’t there is enough strength in the French team to mount a serious challenge for the title.
As defending champions France will have much pride as well as its No. 1 spot in the Fed Cup Nations Ranking at stake in Moscow, and the experience of Fed Cup stalwarts like Natalie Dechy, Emilie Loit and two-time grand slam champion Mary Pierce is complemented by the precociously talented teenager Tatiana Golovin. France will retain the No. 1 ranking if it can reach the final.
As always in Fed Cup, Spain boasts an enviable depth. Virginia Ruano Pascual is one of the world’s great doubles players but has proved to be a useful singles player in Fed Cup play, while Maria Sanchez Lorenzo, Anabel Medina Garrigues (who is likely to partner Ruano Pascual in doubles) and Marta Marrero have all risen to the occasion when asked to represent their country. All will be keen, too, to do well and put a little bit of friendly pressure on their male counterparts, who take on the USA in the Davis Cup Final in the first week of December.
Russia may have been women’s tennis’ foremost nation this year but being a Fed Cup winning team requires more than just a great reputation. We are about to find out whether Russia has what it takes turn its players’ individual achievements into collective success and crown what’s been a remarkable year for the nation’s female players with one last trophy.
As usual Fedcup.com will be provding complete coverage of the Fed Cup Finals week, starting on Monday with a preview. The draw for the semifinals will follow on Tuesday, with play getting underway at 0800 GMT (1100 local time) on Wednesday. You can follow all the action here with our live scoring service, and we will of course have reports, interview and photos from our team in Moscow.
After the semifinals finish on Thursday, the draw for the 2005 Fed Cup will take place on Friday, as well as a special announcement, before the 2004 Fed Cup Final is contested on Saturday and Sunday.
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