By Chris Oddo | Thursday February 7, 2019
Last week Davis Cup took center stage, new format and all. This week it’s tried and true Fed Cup, an event that hasn’t been altered by the ITF—at least yet.
With some incredible competitive World Group quarterfinals set to take place, now is a good time to revert back to appreciating the glory of the old-fashioned team tennis competition. If the changes to Davis Cup—12 home and away ties that play into an 18-team final at a neutral venue--have taught us anything it’s that we should be careful what we wish for, and maybe, just maybe, we should appreciate more of what we have instead of being so eager to tear it down to appease critics.
Here are the World Group matchups that await us this weekend…
Romania at Czech Republic, Ostrava, Hard Court
There’s only one disappointing facet of this to-die-for clash: Petra Kvitova won’t be playing. Sad as it is, it might actually create a more competitive dynamic between these two nations. The Czech’s, winners of six of the last eight Fed Cup titles, will be led by Karolina Pliskova and bolstered by Katerina Siniakova, while Romania will be led by a Simona Halep that has been adamant about her desire to have more success on the international scene.
Halep, who owns a 16-5 lifetime Fed Cup singles record, has listed Fed Cup and the Olympics as two of the biggest goals for the rest of her career and here is a brilliant opportunity for Halep to declare her intent with a breakthrough performance. She might need to, as the Czechs are stacked even without Kvitova and Halep’s two singles points might be what the tie hinges on.
France at Beligium, Liége, Hard
Interesting storyline in this tie is the fact that Julien Benneteau and Johan Van Herck are each making their debuts as captains. Van Herck is the more experienced of the two—he has led Belgium’s Davis Cup team to two final appearances. France defeated Belgium at this stage of the competition last season, when Kristina Mladenovic and Amandine Hesse defeated Kirsten Flipkens and Elise Mertens in a deciding fifth rubber.
These teams are evenly matched once again, with Elise Mertens and Caroline Garcia the lone Top 20 players.
Belarus at Germany, Braunschweig, Hard
Another rematch from last year’s World Group quarterfinals features Germany and Belarus—the Germans came through last year in Minsk in the nation’s only previous Fed Cup meeting with Germany winning 3-2 on the strength of the deciding doubles point.
But this team from Belarus looks much stronger, with Aryna Sabalenka and Aliaksandra Sasnovich further along in their development and Victoria Azarenka there for added experience and, let’s face, she’s pretty darn good if she can ever find that missing mojo.
The Germans, without Julia Goerges and Angelique Kerber, will rely on the hot hand. Either Andrea Petkovic—who has lost six of her last seven Fed Cup ties—Mona Barthel, Laura Siegemend or Tatjana Maria. Whoever they roll out against Belarus it’s going to be a tough ask.
Australia at USA, Asheville, Hard
The 15th meeting of Team USA and Team Aussie Aussie Aussie could be a real doozy, as Ashliegh Barty is a player that is coming into her own and the American boast talent and depth, even without the Williams sisters and Sloane Stephens making the trip.
Barty and Daria Gavrilova will likely play prominent roles for the green and gold while Madison Keys and Danielle Collins should take pivotal singles matches.
The Americans, champions in 2017, have reached the Fed Cup semis in each of the last three seasons.