By ITF This Week Special Edition
July 19 2003

Sunday the 2003 Fed Cup semifinalists will be known with the completion of the USA v Italy, Belgium v Slovak Republic, Slovenia v Russia and Spain v France quarterfinal ties. The line-up for next year’s World Group will also be fixed following the eight play-off ties also being contested 19-20 July. Defending champion the Slovak Republic will have a battle on its hands when it travels to Charleroi to take on Belgium, Fed Cup champions in 2001. The visiting team, led by last year’s heroine Janette Husarova, will need to
be at their best against a home side featuring Roland Garros champion Justine Henin-Hardenne and Roland Garros runner-up Kim Clijsters.

The winner of that quarterfinal will face either USA or Italy in the semifinals, Italy’s
chances having received a late boost from the news that Venus Williams will miss the tie due to injury. Chanda Rubin, the world No. 8, will spearhead US hopes in Washington, against an Italian team featuring Francesca Schiavone, Rita Grande and Tathiana Garbin.

In Portoro, Slovenia has home advantage this time around but faces a stiff challenge from a Russian team keen to
emulate the success of their Davis Cup-winning countrymen. With Russian women’s tennis reaching new heights, No. 10-ranked Anastasia Myskina, Vera Zvonareva, Elena Dementieva and Elena Bovina will bring confidence to their bid to reach a semifinal against either Spain or France.

That quarterfinal, to be played in Oviedo, sees Magui Serna once again step up as No. 1 player for Spain following the retirement of Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario. ITF Doubles World Champion Virginia Ruano Pascual will provide strong support against a visiting French team led by
world No. 6 Amelie Mauresmo and Nathalie Dechy.

Two of the play-off ties take place in Asia, with Japan at home to Sweden and Indonesia hosting Germany. In the southern hemisphere, South Africa is home to the Czech Republic, Argentina at home to Hungary, and Australia hosts Colombia. Canada meanwhile travels to Austria, Brazil to Croatia and Israel to Switzerland.

The winners of these eight ties will take their places in the 2004 World Group alongside the eight nations through to this year’s quarterfinals,while the losers will play in their respective zonal groups for next year’s competition.

USA v Italy (play starting 21:00 BST)
Venue: William H G Fitzgerald Tennis Center,
Washington D.C. USA
Surface: Hard – outdoors

Meghann Shaughnessy (USA) v Francesca Schiavone(ITA)
Chanda Rubin (USA) v Rita Grande (ITA)
Chanda Rubin (USA) v Francesca Schiavone (ITA)
Meghann Shaughnessy (USA) v Rita Grande (ITA)
Lisa Raymond/Chanda Rubin (USA) v Tathiana Garbin/Antonella Serra Zanetti (ITA)

Belgium leads Slovak Republic 2-0
Venue: Spiroudome, Charleroi, BEL
Surface: Hard – indoors

Justine Henin-Hardenne (BEL) d. Janette Husarova (SVK) 75 64
Kim Clijsters (BEL) d. Lubomira Kurhajcova (SVK) 63 61
Kim Clijsters (BEL) v Janette Husarova (SVK)
Justine Henin-Hardenne (BEL) v Lubomira Kurhajcova (SVK)
Els Callens/Caroline Maes (BEL) v Janette Husarova/Lubomira Kurhajcova (SVK)

Russia leads Slovenia 2-0
Venue: SRC Marina Portoroz, Portoro, SLO
Surface: Clay – outdoors

Anastasia Myskina (RUS) d. Maja Matevzic (SLO) 64 61
Elena Dementieva (RUS) d. Katarina Srebotnik (SLO) 61 63
Katarina Srebotnik (SLO) v Anastasia Myskina (RUS)
Maja Matevzic (SLO) v Elena Dementieva (RUS)
Tina Krizan/Katarina Srebotnik (SLO) v Elena Bovina/Vera Zvonareva (RUS)

France leads Spain 2-0
Venue: Escuela de Tenis Municipal Parque del
Oeste, Oviedo, ESP
Surface: Clay – outdoors

Nathalie Dechy (FRA) d. Magui Serna (ESP) 63 64
Amelie Mauresmo (FRA) d. Maria Sanchez Lorenzo (ESP) 63 63
Magui Serna (ESP) v Amelie Mauresmo (FRA)
Maria Sanchez Lorenzo (ESP) v Nathalie Dechy (FRA)
Virginia Ruano Pascual/Anabel Medina Garrigues (ESP) v Nathalie Dechy/Emilie Loit (FRA)

Argentina level with Hungary 1-1
Venue: Mayling Club de Campo, Pilar, ARG
Surface: Hard – indoors

Clarisa Fernandez (ARG) d. Rita Kuti Kis (HUN) 63 61
Petra Mandula (HUN) d. Natalia Gussoni (ARG) 63 64
Clarisa Fernandez (ARG) v Petra Mandula (HUN)
Natalia Gussoni (ARG) v Rita Kuti Kis (HUN)
Clarisa Fernandez/Maria Emilia Salerni (ARG) v Petra Mandula/Katalin Marosi (HUN)

Australia level with Colombia 1-1
Venue: WIN Sports & Entertainment Centre,
Wollongong, New South Wales, AUS
Surface: Hard – indoors

Fabiola Zuluaga (COL) d. Samantha Stosur (AUS) 46 61 64
Alicia Molik (AUS) d. Catalina Castano (COL) 76(6) 46 62
Alicia Molik (AUS) v Fabiola Zuluaga (COL)
Samantha Stosur (AUS) v Catalina Castano (COL)
Alicia Molik/Rennae Stubbs (AUS) v Catalina Castano/Fabiola Zuluaga (COL)

Croatia leads Brazil 2-0
Venue: Teniski Klub ‘Varteks’, Varazdin, CRO
Surface: Clay – outdoors

Silvija Talaja (CRO) d. Bruna Colosio (BRA) 76(5) 63
Karolina Sprem (CRO) d. Joana Cortez (BRA) 61 60
Karolina Sprem (CRO) v Bruna Colosio (BRA)
Silvija Talaja (CRO) v Joana Cortez (BRA)
Jelena Kostanic/Iva Majoli (CRO) v Bruna Colosio/Joana Cortez (BRA)

Germany leads Indonesia 2-0
Venue: Gelora Bung Karno Tennis Stadium,
Jakarta, INA
Surface: Hard – outdoors

Anca Barna (GER) d. Wynne Prakusya (INA) 46 60 64
Barbara Rittner (GER) d. Angelique Widjaja (INA) 64 61
Angelique Widjaja (INA) v Anca Barna (GER)
Wynne Prakusya (INA) v Barbara Rittner (GER)
Wynne Prakusya/Angelique Widjaja (INA) v Vanessa Henke/Angelika Roesch (GER)

Austria leads Canada 2-0
Venue: Tennis und Sportcenter Neudorfl,
Neudorfl, AUT
Surface: Clay – outdoors

Patricia Wartusch (AUT) d. Maureen Drake (CAN) 63 67(3) 62
Barbara Schett (AUT) d. Marie-Eve Pelletier (CAN) 36 62 64
Barbara Schett (AUT) v Maureen Drake (CAN)
Patricia Wartusch (AUT) v Marie-Eve Pelletier (CAN)
Sybille Bammer/Evelyn Fauth (AUT) v Sonya Jeyaseelan/Marie-Eve Pelletier (CAN)

South Africa level with Czech Republic 1-1
Venue: Westridge Park, Durban, RSA
Surface: Hard – outdoors

Klara Koukalova (CZE) d. Natalie Grandin (RSA) 75 63
Amanda Coetzer (RSA) d. Barbora Strycova (CZE) 36 62 62
Amanda Coetzer (RSA) v Klara Koukalova (CZE)
Natalie Grandin (RSA) v Barbora Strycova (CZE)
Natalie Grandin/Nicole Rencken (RSA) v Daja Bedanova/Iveta Benesova (CZE)

Japan leads Sweden 2-0
Venue: DEAI Dome at Gifu Memorial Center,
Gifu, JPN
Surface: Carpet – indoors

Shinobu Asagoe (JPN) d. Sofia Arvidsson (SWE) 63 75
Ai Sugiyama (JPN) d. Hanna Nooni (SWE) 63 64
Ai Sugiyama (JPN) v Sofia Arvidsson (SWE)
Shinobu Asagoe (JPN) v Hanna Nooni (SWE)
Akiko Morigami/Saori Obata (JPN) v Sofia Arvidsson/Hanna Nooni (SWE)

Switzerland leads Israel 2-0
Venue: Tennisclub Winterthur, Winterthur, SUI
Surface: Clay - outdoors

Patty Schnyder (SUI) d. Tzipi Obziler (ISR) 61 75
Myriam Casanova (SUI) d. Anna Pistolesi (ISR) 63 62
Patty Schnyder (SUI) v Anna Pistolesi (ISR)
Myriam Casanova (SUI) v Tzipi Obziler (ISR)
Emmanuelle Gagliardi/Patty Schnyder (SUI) v Tzipi Obziler/Shahar Peer (ISR)