Italy defeated USA 3-1 in the 2014 Fed Cup by BNP Paribas World Group First Round tie in Public Auditorium, Cleveland, OH (hard – indoors) today. Italy were leading by 2-0 on first day. Today, Karin Knapp beat Alison Riske (USA) 6-3 7-5 to give Italy unassailable 3-0 lead. USA reduced the margin as their duo of Lauren Davis and Madison Keys beat Italian duo of Nastassja Burnett/Alice Matteucci 6-2 6-3.
The International Tennis Federation has announced the final results from the 2014 Fed Cup by BNP Paribas World Group and World Group II first round ties taking place on February 8 and 9. The World Group first round tie between Spain and Czech Republic in Seville will be completed on February 10.
Five Zone Group events also took place this week: Europe/Africa Zone Group I in Budapest, Hungary (4-9 February); Americas Zone Group I in Lambare, Paraguay (5-8 February); Asia/Oceania Zone Groups I and II in Astana, Kazakhstan (5-8 February); and Europe/Africa Zone Group III in Tallinn, Estonia (5-8 February).In the World Group semifinals, on 19-20 April, Australia will be at home to Germany, while Italy will be away to either Spain or Czech Republic.
Argentina, Canada, France and Poland, the four winners in World Group II, have qualified for the World Group play-offs on 19-20 April, where they will be joined by the four World Group first round losers, Russia, Slovak Republic, USA and either Spain or Czech Republic.
Brazil, Netherlands, Romania and Thailand, who all qualified from their respective Zone Group I events, will contest the World Group II play-offs on 19-20 April, where they will be joined by the four World Group II losers, Japan, Serbia, Sweden and Switzerland.
According to a press release of the ITF, the draw for the World Group play-offs and World Group II play-offs will be held at the ITF offices in London on February 11at 11:00. The seeds will be based on the new Fed Cup Nations Ranking of 10 February following the completion of the World Group first round tie between Spain and Czech Republic.
WORLD GROUP FIRST ROUND
Italt defeated USA 3-1
Venue: Public Auditorium, Cleveland, OH (hard – indoors)
(Karin Knapp (ITA) d. Christina McHale (USA) 63 36 61, Camila Giorgi (ITA) d. Madison Keys (USA) 62 61, Karin Knapp (ITA) d. Alison Riske (USA) 63 75, Christina McHale (USA) v Camila Giorgi (ITA) – not played, Lauren Davis/Madison Keys (USA) d. Nastassja Burnett/Alice Matteucci (ITA) 62 63).
SPAIN lead CZECH REPUBLIC 1-0
Venue: Centro de Tenis Blas Infante, Seville (clay – outdoors)
(Carla Suarez Navarro (ESP) d. Barbora Zahlavova Strycova (CZE) 61 64, Maria-Teresa Torro-Flor (ESP) v Klara Zakopalova (CZE), Carla Suarez Navarro (ESP) v Klara Zakopalova (CZE), Maria-Teresa Torro-Flor (ESP) v Barbora Zahlavova Strycova (CZE), Lara Arruabarrena/Silvia Soler-Espinosa (ESP) v Andrea Hlavackova/Lucie Safarova (CZE). Only one rubber played due to rain, four remaining rubbers to be played on Monday.
GERMANY defeated SLOVAK REPUBLIC 3-1
Venue: Aegon Arena, National Tennis Centre, Bratislava (hard – indoors)
(Andrea Petkovic (GER) d. Dominika Cibulkova (SVK) 26 76(7) 62, Angelique Kerber (GER) d. Daniela Hantuchova (SVK) 76(9) 61, Angelique Kerber (GER) d. Dominika Cibulkova (SVK) 63 76(5), Daniela Hantuchova (SVK) v Andrea Petkovic (GER) – not played, Jana Cepelova/Magdalena Rybarikova (SVK) d. Julia Goerges/Anna-Lena Groenefeld (GER) 46 63 107).
AUSTRALIA defeated RUSSIA 4-0
Venue: Domain Tennis Centre, Hobart (hard – outdoors)
(Casey Dellacqua (AUS) d. Irina Khromacheva (RUS) 60 62, Samantha Stosur (AUS) d. Veronika Kudermetova (RUS) 64 60, Samantha Stosur (AUS) d. Victoria Kan (RUS) 62 63, Casey Dellacqua (AUS) v Veronika Kudermetova (RUS) – not played, Ashleigh Barty/Casey Dellacqua (AUS) d. Irina Khromacheva/Valeria Solovyeva (RUS) 61 63).
WORLD GROUP II FIRST ROUND
CANADA defeated SERBIA 3-1
Venue: Complexe Sportif Claude Robillard, Montreal (hard – indoors)
(Aleksandra Wozniak (CAN) d. Vesna Dolonc (SRB) 75 26 64, Eugenie Bouchard (CAN) d. Jovana Jaksic (SRB) 61 60, Eugenie Bouchard (CAN) d. Vesna Dolonc (SRB) 60 63, Aleksandra Wozniak (CAN) v Jovana Jaksic (SRB) – not played, Jovana Jaksic/Nina Stojanovic (SRB) d. Gabriela Dabrowski/Sharon Fichman (CAN) 26 63 [10-8] .
POLAND defeated SWEDEN 3-2
Venue: Borashallen, Boras (hard – indoors)
(Johanna Larsson (SWE) d. Katarzyna Piter (POL) 61 62, Agnieszka Radwanska (POL) d. Sofia Arvidsson (SWE) 61 61,Agnieszka Radwanska (POL) d. Johanna Larsson (SWE) 64 61,Sofia Arvidsson (SWE) d. Katarzyna Piter (POL) 62 61,Agnieszka Radwanska/Alicja Rosolska (POL) d. Sofia Arvidsson/Johanna Larsson (SUI) 62 62).
FRANCE defeated SWITZERLAND 3-2
Venue: Stade de Coubertin, Paris (hard – indoors)
(Virginie Razzano (FRA) d. Stefanie Voegele (SUI) 62 61, Belinda Bencic (SUI) d. Alize Cornet (FRA) 75 64, Alize Cornet (FRA) d. Stefanie Voegele (SUI) 62 76(4), Belinda Bencic (SUI) d. Virginie Razzano (FRA) 61 61, Alize Cornet/Kristina Mladenovic (FRA) d. Timea Bacsinszky/Belinda Bencic (SUI) 75 64).
ARGENTINA defeated JAPAN 3-1
Venue: Pilara Tennis Club, Buenos Aires (clay – outdoors)
(Maria Irigoyen (ARG) d. Kurumi Nara (JPN) 67(7) 64 64, Paula Ormaechea (ARG) d. Misaki Doi (JPN) 62 36 63, Paula Ormaechea (ARG) d. Kurumi Nara (JPN) 63 64, Maria Irigoyen (ARG) v Misaki Doi (JPN) – not played, Shuko Aoyama/Risa Ozaki (JPN) d. Maria Irigoyen/Paula Ormachea (ARG) 60 64).
EUROPE/AFRICA ZONE GROUP I
Venue: Syma Event and Congress Centre, Budapest, Hungary (hard – indoor)
Promotion play-off:Romania defeated Ukraine 2-0 (Sorana Cirstea (ROU) d. Olga Savchuk (UKR) 63 62, Simona Halep (ROU) d. Elina Svitolina (UKR) 63 75, Irina Begu/Monica Nicolescu (ROU) v Lyudmyla Kichenok/Olga Savchuk (UKR) – not played).
Netherlands defeated Belarus 2-0 (Richel Hogenkamp (NED) d. Aliaksandra Sasnovich (BLR) 63 64, Kiki Bertens (NED) d. Olga Govortsova (BLR) 76(5) 62, Kiki Bertens/Mihaela Krajicek (NED) v Olga Govortsova/Aliaksandra Sasnovich (BLR) – not played).
Netherlands and Romania advance to World Group II play-offs.
5th to 8th place play-off:Belgium defeated Portugal 2-1 (An-Sophie Mestach (BEL) d. Barbara Luz (POR) 26 60 62, Michelle Larcher De Brito (POR) d. Yanina Wickmayer (BEL) 76(5) 63, Ysaline Bonaventure/An-Sophie Mestach (BEL) d. Michelle Larcher De Brito/Barbara Luz (POR) 76(3) 60).
Hungary defeated Israel 2-1 (Ofri Lankri (ISR) d. Szabina Szlavikovics (HUN) 63 36 76(3), Reka-Luca Jani (HUN) d. Keren Shlomo (ISR) 64 63, Reka-Luca Jani/Szabina Szlavikovics (HUN) d. Ofri Lankri/Keren Shlomo (ISR) 63 64).
9th to 12th place play-off: Croatia defeated Turkey 2-1 (Ipek Soylu (TUR) d. Tereza Mrdeza (CRO) 64 16 60, Donna Vekic (CRO) d. Melis Sezer (TUR) 62 61 , Darija Jurak/Tereza Mrdeza (CRO) d. Cagla Buyukakcay/Ipek Soylu (TUR) 76(4) 46 63).
Great Britain defeated Austria 2-0 (Tara Moore (GBR) d. Tamira Paszek (AUT) 62 64, Heather Watson (GBR) d. Yvonne Meusburger (AUT) 64 62, Tara Moore/Jocelyn Rae (GBR) v Yvonne Meusburger/Tamira Paszek (AUT) – not played).
Relegation play-off: Bulgaria defeated Luxembourg 2-0 (Isabella Shinikova (BUL) d. Claudine Schaul (LUX) 62 63, Elitsa Kostova (BUL) d. Anne Kremer (LUX) 63 67(7) 76(7), Anne Kremer/Claudine Schaul (LUX) v Elitsa Kostova/Viktoriya Tomova (BUL) – not played).
Latvia defeated Slovenia 2-0 (Jelena Ostapenko (LAT) d. Dalila Jakupovic (SLO) 63 76(9) , Diana Marcinkevica (LAT) d. Masa Zec-Peskiric (SLO) 60 60 , Diana Marcinkevica/Jelena Ostapenko (LAT) v Dalila Jakupovic/Andreja Klepac (SLO) – not played.
Luxembourg and Slovenia relegated to Europe/Africa Zone Group II in 2015.