Title: Fed Cup Final
GS2 - September 13, 2007 02:58 PM (GMT)
Starts on Saturday - Italy v Russia in Moscow on a indoor hardcourt.
Here are the teams
Russia
Svetlana KUZNETSOVA
Anna CHAKVETADZE
Nadia PETROVA
Elena VESNINA
Team Captain
Shamil TARPISCHEV
Italy
Francesca SCHIAVONE
Mara SANTANGELO
Roberta VINCI
Flavia PENNETTA
Team Captain
Corrado BARAZZUTTI
Draw for the matches haven't been made yet but it's hard to see Russia losing this one as long as Kuznetsova holds her nerve (which she didn't in her previous Fed Cup final losing to both Dechy & Golovin) & even then Russia have Petrova & Chakvetadze.
The Italians really need Schiavone to be in the inspired form she was in the semi final against France to have any chance.
I'd say 4-1 to Russia though the last few years of Fed Cup have gone down to the wire so hopefully this will do the same!
One interesting thing - Sharapova is there acting as hitting partner for the Russians!? Looks like she's trying to build some bridges!
Russiafan - September 15, 2007 10:59 PM (GMT)
RUSSIA are 2-0 up (DAVAI) after wins from Chakvetadze and Kuzzy over Schiavone and Santangelo respectively.
AND surprisingly Masha Sharapova watched from the team bench and gave her support! Bless her.
Russiafan - September 16, 2007 01:52 PM (GMT)
Kuzzy has defeated Schiavone in three sets, after facing mps and everything - what an improvement from the final of 2004 where she crumbled under pressure against Golovin. Vesnina trashed Santangelo to make it 4-0. Russia has deservedly won her third FED Cup title :D DAVAI :bow: :bow: :bow:
T01 - September 17, 2007 10:10 AM (GMT)
| QUOTE (Russiafan @ Sep 15 2007, 10:59 PM) |
AND surprisingly Masha Sharapova watched from the team bench and gave her support! Bless her. |
It is god that she didn't play a singles match then claim to have been in the Fedcup winning team.
Russiafan - September 17, 2007 06:38 PM (GMT)
| QUOTE (T01 @ Sep 17 2007, 11:10 AM) |
| QUOTE (Russiafan @ Sep 15 2007, 10:59 PM) |
AND surprisingly Masha Sharapova watched from the team bench and gave her support! Bless her. |
It is god that she didn't play a singles match then claim to have been in the Fedcup winning team.
|
The Russian team are very suspicious of her motives. Rumours abound that her sudden interest in Russian Fed Cup matches is that she has to be a member or at least available for FED Cup in order to play fro Russia in the Olympics next summer.... :rolleyes:
9mmSuzi - September 17, 2007 07:32 PM (GMT)
| QUOTE (Russiafan @ Sep 17 2007, 12:38 PM) |
| QUOTE (T01 @ Sep 17 2007, 11:10 AM) | | QUOTE (Russiafan @ Sep 15 2007, 10:59 PM) |
AND surprisingly Masha Sharapova watched from the team bench and gave her support! Bless her. |
It is god that she didn't play a singles match then claim to have been in the Fedcup winning team.
|
The Russian team are very suspicious of her motives. Rumours abound that her sudden interest in Russian Fed Cup matches is that she has to be a member or at least available for FED Cup in order to play fro Russia in the Olympics next summer.... :rolleyes:
|
:) but RussiaFan , do the others like her being part of the team...I thought some didnt't lik e her or was her Dad being around the team or something....??
Russiafan - September 17, 2007 09:34 PM (GMT)
| QUOTE (9mmSuzi @ Sep 17 2007, 08:32 PM) |
| QUOTE (Russiafan @ Sep 17 2007, 12:38 PM) | | QUOTE (T01 @ Sep 17 2007, 11:10 AM) | | QUOTE (Russiafan @ Sep 15 2007, 10:59 PM) |
AND surprisingly Masha Sharapova watched from the team bench and gave her support! Bless her. |
It is god that she didn't play a singles match then claim to have been in the Fedcup winning team.
|
The Russian team are very suspicious of her motives. Rumours abound that her sudden interest in Russian Fed Cup matches is that she has to be a member or at least available for FED Cup in order to play fro Russia in the Olympics next summer.... :rolleyes:
|
:) but RussiaFan , do the others like her being part of the team...I thought some didnt't lik e her or was her Dad being around the team or something....??
|
Some quite rightly don't see her as Russian or really a team player. However judging by the photos Kuzzy and Anna C both seemed reasonably pally with her. The problem was Myskina who strongly disliked Yuri Sharapov (justifiably). Also the Captain Shamil T will only let her play if she takes it seriously - he told her after she skipped the SF that he had no intention of letting her play the final and clearly Russia don't really need her - there are plenty of other women more eager to take her place.
Russiafan - September 17, 2007 09:35 PM (GMT)
And my :rolleyes: was directed at Maria for potentially only wanting to play FED CUp so she can play the olympics not at her team mates who I like A LOT more than her :) (Just to clarify)
liam_valid - September 18, 2007 09:42 AM (GMT)
How comes Petrova never played? :(
Russiafan - September 18, 2007 03:32 PM (GMT)
| QUOTE (liam_valid @ Sep 18 2007, 10:42 AM) |
| How comes Petrova never played? :( |
I guess once Sveta had won their was no need. Anna C would have played the 4th match had Franny beaten Kuzzy and Nadia would have played with Vesnina in dubs. Once the 4th rubber became dead, I guess it was a good chance for Vesnina to play a singles match as she hadn't in FED Cup until then. Why waste Nadia on Mara Santangelo when Vesnina can easily trash her :P