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Fed Cup, Monte Carlo semis previews:
China could upset Italy; Rafa could be in
trouble against Berdych
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Let's get through the US-Belgium Fed Cup tie in Delray Beach, Fla. quickly: Venus and Serena Williams will win in blowouts. The tie should end after the third match on Sunday. The big question for the US is whether captain Zina Garrison can convince her two stars to play the July semifinals. Venus has done so once and Serena never has. Very good luck, captain.
There are some very interesting other ties going on, but few with the major nations in the World Group quarters. Powerhouse Russia should trounce Spain at home behind Nadia Petrova and Svetlana Kuznetsova, who should be able to handle Anabel Medina Garrigues and Lourdes Dominguez-Lino. Russia is so deep that the often-spectacular Anna Chakvetadze is on the bench in singles.
Another powerhouse, France, should also get through, not because they are trotting out a great team, but because they are playing on clay at home against Japan, which doesn't have any accomplished clay-courters. Just imagine how happy the attention-craving Tatiana Golovin is in her position as the star performer with Amelie Mauresmo hurt. Expect a standout performance from the Amelia Island champ against Akiko Morigami. Nathalie Dechy hasn't played that well this year and will be pushed by Ai Sugiyama, but Japan's best player has never found her feet on dirt when she's asked to produce too much of her own power. Take France in a 3-1 victory.
Defending champion Italy is playing at a resort at home, so they are the favorites against China. But I can sniff an upset here. Sure, the Chinese women have done little on clay, but it's a very decent team with Shuai Peng and Tian-Tian Sun playing singles and doubles. The big question is whether Peng will retire from heat exhaustion early on, but if she doesn't and can last, they could pull an upset. Flavia Pennetta has had a lousy year and, although Tathiana Garbin has played fairly well, she's no mental giant. Take China to pull off a stunner.
SECOND LEVEL PROVIDES INTRIGUE
Perhaps the most
intriguing tie will take place outside of the World Group in Bratislava
where Slovak Fed Cup heroine Daniela Hantuchova will take on the
Czech Republic almost all by her lonesome. Hantuchova will go up
against the strong duo of Nicole Vaidisova and Lucie Safarova with
only the unknown Dominika Cibulkova to back her up. The 17-year-old
is a decent clay-court player, though, having won two rounds at
Amelia and Charleston.
Israel and Shahar Peer should have the edge over Canada away, while
Austria and Sybille Bammer should be able to get over the Aussies
on clay - if it doesn't go down to the doubles. Count on Jelena
Jankovic to continue to carry Serbia in Europe/Africa Zone Group
I round robin. Her non-friend, Ana Ivanovic, isn't playing.
Rafael Nadal's record clay court-winning streak is now in danger as the Spaniard will have to face one of his nemesis, Tomas Berdych, in the semis. Berdych has the serve and forehand to hurt Nadal and has won their last three matches, but they were all on hard courts. Rafa's one win came on clay and you still have to make him the favorite. But, if the weather is warm and dry and the Czech can groove into a good serving rhythm, beware.
The second semi will see Mr. 500, Roger Federer, go up against former Roland Garros champ Juan Carlos Ferrero. "He's an excellent grinder and baseline player and he plays very well, so it's hard to beat him," said Federer. "But I always find a way against him to overpower him from the baseline and just have enough variety to maybe frustrate him a bit." Ferrero will have to be super-aggressive to best Roger. It would be quite encouraging to see JC even win a set.
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