Fed Cup champions Italy cautious ahead of China tie
By James Eve
ROME, April 16 (Reuters) - Fed Cup champions Italy are taking nothing for granted as they prepare to begin the defence of their title against China, their team captain said on Monday.
"On paper, it's a tie we should win, but in these competitions nothing is certain," Corrado Barazzutti told a news conference.
Italy are clear favourites to beat China in the World Group first-round tie at Castellaneta Marina in southern Italy's Puglia region this weekend.
Their quartet of Francesca Schiavone, Tathiana Garbin, Flavia Pennetta, and Roberta Vinci, are ranked in the world's top 51 and will be comfortable on the slow clay courts.
China, who will be without their best two players, world number 17 Li Na and 33rd ranked Zheng Jie, include Zhang Shuai and Sun Sheng-Nan who are outside the world's top 200.
Li and Zheng are missing out to help other players qualify for the 2008 Beijing Olympics. The rules require players to have represented their country in the Fed Cup twice before the Games.
"China have left at home two of their strongest players, but I still think it will be a difficult tie," Barazzutti added.
"They have a strong team, a team that is used to playing these kinds of competitions."
SURPRISE WINNERS
Italy were surprise winners of the competition last year, eliminating France and Spain before beating Belgium in the final.
The fact his team were defending champions would put extra pressure on them, said Barazzutti, though he believed they would be able to make home advantage count.
"We have the responsibility of defending our title. We will try to be even more focused than usual, more combative.
"The fact that two of our team (Pennetta and Vinci) are from Puglia should give them an extra motivation to do well."
Barazzutti made just one change to the team that beat Belgium in last year's final with clay court specialist Tathiana Garbin replacing Mara Santangelo, who is more at home on faster surfaces.
Asked which of his players would take part in singles, and which in doubles, Barazzutti replied: "It's too early to say. I'll make my decision over the next three or four days, and not necessarily based on the rankings.
"The girls will be arriving in Castellaneta having played on faster surfaces than clay, so a lot will depend on how they adapt to the slower courts".
