 Photographer: Andrzej Szkocki
Date: 26 Apr 2009 |  Photographer: Sergio Carmona
Date: 25 Sep 2006 |  Photographer: None/Not Applicable
Date: 25 Apr 2009 |  Photographer: Estonian Tennis Association
Date: 11 Aug 2009 |  Photographer: Estonian Tennis Association
Date: 11 Aug 2009 |  Photographer: Estonian Tennis Association
Date: 11 Aug 2009 |  Photographer: Andrzej Szkocki
Date: 26 Apr 2009 |  Photographer: Estonian Tennis Association
Date: 11 Aug 2009 |
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| 10 Aug 2009 | |
| New faces in World Group II |
When the 2010 Fed Cup by BNP Paribas World Group II draw was held in June in Paris, it featured Estonia and Poland. The two nations qualified for World Group II for the first time since the competition was restructured in 1995 after winning their World Group II Play-offs in April.
Fedcup.com spoke to Polish sisters Agniewska and Urszula Radwanksa and Kaia Kanepi and Maret Ani, who have formed the backbone of Estonia’s Fed Cup team for the last 8 years, about the competition.
“We are very proud that we can represent our country,” said Urszula Radwanska, who combined with Agnieszka to win the Junior Fed Cup title for Poland in 2005 before the sisters both made their Fed Cup debut a year later.
“Fed Cup is different. It’s important. You’re not playing for yourself but playing for your country and your team,” added Agnieszka.
Kaia Kanepi, who is undefeated in Fed Cup in the last two years as Estonia has risen from Europe/Africa Group II to World Group II, winning eight successive ties, has always enjoyed the special atmosphere of a team competition:
“Since I was a kid, I love to play for my country. I am always more nervous and have more butterflies in my stomach when I play at home but I really enjoy it.”
“Fed Cup is a nice occasion as the team gets together and we are all friends,” she continued, “I always try to play it.”
Her teammate Maret Ani, who has missed only one year of Fed Cup since making her debut in 1998, has won 40 singles and doubles rubbers for her country agreed that Fed Cup was very important to her and was pleased that they had the chance to play in front of their home crowd:
“The last tie was really good. In Estonia, there are not many successful women athletes, so it was good that people could come and we could show them we are doing well.”
“Young kids can get motivated to play good and get to the top. They think if someone from Estonia can do it, why not me? “ added Kanepi, who has won 31 rubbers in her 8 years of Fed Cup play.
The Radwanskas were also thrilled to have played in Poland. “It was a full stadium. There was a great atmosphere,“ said Urszula, while Agnieszka commented on the effects that their success was already beginning to have. “Tennis more popular than a few years ago. More kids are playing.”
Both teams were given a further chance to play at home in February’s World Group II ties. Poland will take on 2006 runner-up Belgium, while Estonia faces Argentina.
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