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ozfan44 · Feb 3rd, 2013, 03:33 AM

I love Casey but even I would put Jarka in singles ahead of her at this stage...

Even out of form it will still be very tough, I'd be shocked if we won this..... it would be like expecting an aussie to close out a match or even a set when they have a lead like the aussie open this year...

SilverPersian · Feb 3rd, 2013, 10:42 AM

^Yeah, we might be sitting here in a week's time thinking how deluded the last page of posts was. But still ... it seems a lot more likely that an upset could happen now than it did three months ago

AUSBOY · Feb 7th, 2013, 04:30 AM

The doubles decision is tough! I'd go Dellacqua/Jarka or Dellacqua/Barty definite leave Stosur out!

ozfan44 · Feb 7th, 2013, 06:56 AM

Dellacqua/Barty for sure...gotta go with a good "team" and they are both in-form...

JarkaFish · Feb 7th, 2013, 07:02 AM

Hard to beat a team that just made the final of a slam and took a set off the No. 1 players in the world in said final.

binky-GOAT · Feb 7th, 2013, 08:10 AM

Will Sam and Jarka play all 4 rubbers? Or will Ash and Casey get a shot if we win or lose early?

SilverPersian · Feb 7th, 2013, 11:02 AM

http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news...207-2e0s7.html

Quote:

Aust aim to take down Fed Cup champs

Czech captain Petr Pala is wary of the impact a relaxed Samantha Stosur can have in this weekend's Fed Cup tie in Ostrava.

Stosur endured another miserable domestic summer campaign, crashing out in the second round of the Australian Open and losing her first match at the Sydney and Brisbane internationals.

The Queenslander will headline an Australian team also including Casey Dellacqua, Jarmila Gajdosova and Ashleigh Barty in the World Group first-round tie against the two-time defending Fed Cup champions.

"I think Samantha Stosur, when she plays in Australia, she's under pressure and everyone expects her to win, which is very difficult to deal with," Pala said.

"She's a great Fed Cup player, hasn't lost last year and she's not going to be under pressure for this tie much.

"I think she's going to be playing better than she played at the beginning of the year."

Stosur said the Australian team were excited by the appointment of Alicia Molik as captain, having replaced Stosur's personal coach David Taylor.

"Obviously it's a little bit different for her - she's never done this before - and a big change for the rest of the team, but it's going really well so far and I'm sure we can have success with Alicia," said Stosur.

"Obviously she doesn't have as much coaching experience as what Dave does, but I'm sure she's learning and we're really excited to have her here."

Australia will start as underdogs in the February 9-10 tie against a powerhouse Czech team headed by world No.8 Petra Kvitova who, like Stosur, struggled in the first grand slam tournament of the year.

Pala said his team of Kvitova, Lucie Safarova, Lucie Hradecka and Andrea Hlavackova would be the ones feeling the pressure.

"It's never easy after winning - everyone is expecting you to win again.

"It's not easy, we are facing a great team from Australia and we have to be really ready for it on the weekend."

The two nations have not met in the Fed Cup since 1992 and the Czech team lead the head-to-head 4-3

JarkaFish · Feb 7th, 2013, 11:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Asadinator

Will Sam and Jarka play all 4 rubbers? Or will Ash and Casey get a shot if we win or lose early?

Apparently their are no dead singles rubbers anymore.

SilverPersian · Feb 8th, 2013, 01:45 AM

Good decision Alicia

She must read this forum

http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news...208-2e22c.html

Quote:

Australia will court a combination of youth and experience with its Fed Cup doubles pair, nominating debutante Ashleigh Barty and team stalwart Casey Dellacqua to take on reigning champions the Czech Republic.

At 16, former junior Wimbledon champion Barty will be the youngest Australian Fed Cup player since Jelena Dokic in 1998, while 27-year-old Dellacqua's history with the national team stretches back almost seven years.

"Ash and Casey as a team have proven that they work exceptionally well and they've really been dominating," team captain Alicia Molik told AAP ahead of the weekend's first round tie.

The pair were surprise doubles finalists at the Australian Open in January, beaten only by Italian top seeds Sara Errani and Roberta Vinci.

"They are our strongest team right now so yes, they will be making an appearance here playing together and we have belief in them," Molik said.

While the Czech team is yet to confirm its doubles combination, the likely nominees will be world No.3 pair Andrea Hlavackova and Lucie Hradecka.

"They were beaten relatively early in the Australian Open," Molik said of the Czech duo.

"They haven't won as much (lately) as they're accustomed to."

Traditionally the doubles match is the last to be played in the Fed Cup format, and can act as a decider.

Molik stopped short of naming her two singles players for the weekend tie, but the obvious choices remain world No.9 Samantha Stosur and Jarmila Gajdosova, who round out the team of four.

Balancing the numbers for the Czech Republic are world No.8 Petra Kvitova and Lucie Safarova, as the nation looks to win the Cup for a third straight year.

A draw for the best-of-five matches tournament will take place overnight Friday (AEDT) in the eastern Czech city of Ostrava where play will begin on Saturday.

binky-GOAT · Feb 8th, 2013, 03:24 AM

Ash posted that Barty/Dellacqua d. Molik/Woodbridge 63 64

Also Jarka posted that she played a practice session with Ash, and got her butt kicked

SilverPersian · Feb 8th, 2013, 04:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Asadinator

Ash posted that Barty/Dellacqua d. Molik/Woodbridge 63 64

Also Jarka posted that she played a practice session with Ash, and got her butt kicked

I think the fact that she posted that on twitter means that the comment is at least partly tongue in cheek. Hope it doesn't suggest anything about Jarka's current form ...