[TheBoiledEgg]

Group A: USA , France, Argentina and Czech Republic.


Group B: Spain, Belgium, Russia and Australia


This is probably better than we could have hoped for .

We've definately got a shot here .

good luck girls and stay healthy and fit for this please <IMG SRC="smilies/smile.gif" border="0">

 

[ys]

TBE, it is on clay, right?

 

[TheBoiledEgg]

its in Spain so most likely.

but I still think we got a pretty good chance

 

[ys]

Honestly,TBE, I'd prefer the first group. But it depends on how much teams qualify for the next round. If it is for final only, then I'd think a bit more. But if that would be two teams that qualify from each group for semis, we'd certainly feel better in the first group, Argentina? Czech Republic? No big players from either country now. And with US players ignoring Europe, you never know who will play. It may come down to Seles and ..

Well, I meant we'd be there instead of France.. <IMG SRC="smilies/smile.gif" border="0">

[ September 26, 2001: Message edited by: ys ]

 

[TheBoiledEgg]

I know Kim got to French final .... but I think Elena can beat her 9/10 on clay.

Spain will be tough ... maybe without Conchita it will be easier . Elena has also beaten ASV quite easily both times.

Aussies won't trouble us at all or any of the others.

The Czech's don't have names but they are tough .
I also think France are a much tougher than any of the opposition in our group.
also with USA .... depends who plays .... Seles , Jen ???? tough , very tough on the other hand ........

 

[the cat]

TBE, why are you so happy? Russia is in the tougher section. Perhaps Russia can beat Spain on clay. But Spain is the favorite over Russia. How is Russia going to beat Belgium? Highly unlikely. Elena Dementieva and who else against Justine Henin and Kim Clijsters? Belgium is the clear favorite in their group. I'm dissapointed. When you wrote that things were looking good for Russia, I got my hopes up. Then when I saw the group they were in, my hopes were dashed. Please tell me why you think things are looking good for Russia.

P.S. - To no one's surprise, the Russian girls, mainly Elena Likhovtseva and Nadejda Petrova aren't playing doubles together in preperation for the Fed Cup semifinals. It would make sense if they played together as a doubles team. But I guess that's asking too much. Is there a worse run Fed Cup team that the Russian team? There is absolutely no planning or preperation going on. Remember how Likhovtseva prepared for the tie with Slovakia on red clay? She was playing World Team Tennis on hard courts in America. That made alot of sense. Her decision to play the unimportant WTT schedule almost cost Russia the tie with Slovakia. I hope the Russians win. I wish them good luck. They are going to need it!

 

[TheBoiledEgg]

Cat ..... it was going to be tough either way.

USA/FRA or ESP/BEL .

IMO .... i think its better as Elena knows she can beat all the players in this group.

 

[ys]

The cat,

Belgium is a favourite only on paper, because they have no depth.. On her current form
Elena D. will indeed most likely beat Clijsters on clay.. I am not sure about Henin. Clay is her best and favourite surface. Just like it is best and favourite surface of Elena. It all depends on rankigns, who will be higher ranked by then, Henin or Kim. I think it will be Kim, meaning Elena will play her. Actually Henin-Dementieva is a kind of a matchup I'd really like to see.

Actually, I think, that the four remaining in the draw Russian girls should be our team for the Fed Cup. Dementieva, Kournikova, Myskina and Likhovtseva, with Likhovtseva playing guaranteed doubles with Anna and singles players being rotated out of Dementieva, Kournikova, Myskina. On claycourts they are our three best players..

Actually, I hope that

 

[the cat]

Eggy and Ys, I respect your comments. Ys, how do you play Myskina ahead of Krasnoroutskya, who got to the 2001 French Open Quarterfinals? I don't even think Myskina should play ahead of Petrova. On the other hand, if Anna Kournikova is playing, you know she would want Myskina on the team. Because it seems that Anna actually has a decent relationship with Myskina. Udachi RF(Russian Federation)!

 

[ys]

Lina seems to be kind of a player who can play on clay, but it takes her some signioficant time to adjust to clay, just like Kafelnikov, who is always a threat at French Open and can be beaten by anybody in any other clay tournament. Lina's ability to adjust to the surface in a matter of days looks doubtful, Slovakia tie showed that. Same goes for nadia. Lina is not a natural claycourter. Nastya is. Her low rankings are very deceiving, she is much better than she is ranked, Top 30 for sure, she just lost an year because of injuries. And she has a title on clay, BTW. Petrova - maybe, but by recent form I'd select as I listed.. Kournikova/Likhovtseva must be on the team - because in this format doubles matches is not 1/5 of the tie, but 1/3. I, however, think that with this ( Round Robin ) format they might allow more than 4 players to be in the team. I don't know the regulations..

[ September 26, 2001: Message edited by: ys ]

 

[Togk 182]

i think that russia will win the fed cup, i wonder if any of the junior players will play at the fed cup, i wonder if svevetana will play, she's good at clay, or if dinara plays, i would lie if anna bastrikova & dinara play in doubles, though i know that it's not possible, good luck for the russian girls

 

[ys]

Let me have a pleasure of bumping it..

The cat, do you still question my 10 days old suggestion of playing Nastya ahead of Lina in Fed Cup singles? <IMG SRC="smilies/smile.gif" border="0">

 

[the cat]

Ys, you little rascal! Are you going to say, "I told you so"? You may! Anastassia has put herself in the position to play the second singles. But can Ana play on slow red clay?

P.S. - Welcome to the board Togk 182! Have a great time, dude! But please stop calling Anastassia a gremlin!

[ October 06, 2001: Message edited by: the cat in the hat ]

[ October 06, 2001: Message edited by: the cat in the hat ]

 

[TheBoiledEgg]

Anastasia can play on everything.
She won Palermo title on clay.

But her best in indoors on carpet on the surface she grew up on.

I'd pick Nastya as well now.....