Tennis Fed Cup Betting
TENNIS – FED CUP BETTING – 13th to 14th SEPTEMBER
The 46th Fed Cup sees Spain meet Russia for the first time at the Final stage. Russia has a 4-1 lead in head-to-heads, the most recent meeting being in 2007, with Russia winning that first round tie 5-0. However, the Spanish team is undoubtedly stronger now. Even without several top players, Russia boast a line-up containing two players ranked in the world top 10. Russia is no.1 in the Fed Cup rankings, having been successful 12 times and will start as overwhelming favourites, offered at 1/5 with Betfair, with the Spaniards at 5/2 with the same firm.
With the Russian team below strength, Spain has a chance in this final, with Virginia Ruano Pascal and Anabel Medina Garrigues having picked up a doubles silver medal at the Beijing Olympics. Nuria Llagostera Vives and Medina Garrigues are both unbeaten in Fed Cup singles matches in 2008. With the home support at the Club de Campo and the current “feel good factor” in Spanish tennis, it should be an entertaining and fascinating weekend.
TEAM PROFILES
Spain
Anabel Medina
Medina, from Valencia, is Spain’s top-ranked singles player. As the only member of the Spanish team ranked in the world’s top 50 (26), she is likely to play both singles and doubles. She is the current French Open doubles champion partnering team-mate Virginia Ruano Pascual. She has won her last four Fed Cup singles matches, beating some useful opposition, but has never beaten a top-10 player.
Carla Suarez-Navarro
The diminutive Suarez-Navarro, from the Canaries, reached the quarter-finals of the 2008 French Open as a qualifier. Her singles debut in the Fed Cup, away to China in the semi-finals, was also impressive, beating the experienced Peng Shuai in straight sets. She is not yet 20 and world-ranked 51, but has the ability to surprise the more distinguished Russians.
Nuria Llagostera Vives
Mallorca’s top female player hasn’t managed to achieve the heights of compatriot Rafael Nadal, but has been a great asset in the Fed Cup. Following a severe wrist injury in 2006, she slipped to 686 in the world rankings, but has worked herself back into the top 100 (93). The 5ft. 1in. “pocket rocket” was Spain’s star in April’s semi-final against China, beating Zhen Jive and Peng Shuai in straight sets to see Spain to victory. Dependent on whether Medina is saved for the doubles, she may play singles on the second day.
Virginia Ruano Pascual
The most successful and experienced of the Spanish players has won 41 doubles titles, nine of them in Grand Slam events. Her partnership with Argentina’s Paola Suarez was one of the most successful in recent years, the pair winning all the major doubles titles except Wimbledon. She has subsequently teamed up with Fed Cup team-mate Medina Garrigues to win four titles, plus an Olympic silver medal. Approaching 35, but by no means included just for her experience. She has been ranked in the 30s in the singles, but is likely to play only doubles in Madrid.
Russia
Svetlana Kuznetsova
World-ranked no. 4, Kuznetsova is the most talented of the Russian players. However, her confidence has suffered in recent months. A losing finalist three times early in the season, she reached the French Open semi-finals, but capitulated tamely against Dinara Safina, losing 3-6, 2-6. A knee injury may be partly to blame for subsequent lacklustre performances, but looks less than invincible at present. She has, however, played in two Fed Cup finals, losing both singles against France in 2004, but winning the match that gave Russia the 2007 Cup.
Vera Zvonareva
Appeared to lose he way in 2005 / 2006, but has bounced back with a great 2008, winning her sixth career title in Prague and a bronze medal at the Olympics. World-ranked 10 and a tough opponent with a proven record in Fed Cup finals.
Ekaterina Makarova
20-year-old Ekaterina Makarova, from Moscow, finds herself with a daunting task, making her Fed Cup debut in the Final. She has a world singles ranking of 56 and is only the tenth-best Russian player. Her world doubles ranking of 68 also makes her the tenth-ranked Russian. However, she has won nine titles on the ITF Futures circuit, which presumably is the major reason for her inclusion in the squad for Madrid, ahead of higher-ranked players.
Elena Vesnina
Ranked a lowly 71 in the world, Elena Vesnina clearly fits well into a squad of more illustrious players. She has played seven Fed Cup ties, winning three from four doubles matches, including a defeat (with Nadia Petrova) of
Lisa Raymond and Venue Williams in the 2007 semi-finals. The 22-year-old has also been in the top 50 in singles, having reached the fourth round of the 2006 Australian Open.
All odds correct at time of writing. Please click here for the latest odds
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