Fed Cup vs Italy

[RJD11]

Injuries hit U.S. Fed Cup team
Updated: January 29, 2014, 2:09 PM ET
Associated Press



WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. -- With Serena Williams and Sloane Stephens pulling out because of injuries, the U.S. Fed Cup team will field an inexperienced roster of Madison Keys, Alison Riske, Christina McHale and Lauren Davis against Italy.

The first-round matches are Feb. 8-9 at the Public Auditorium in Cleveland.

Keys is the highest-ranked member of the U.S. team at 37th. She, Riske and Davis will make their Fed Cup debuts.

The U.S. Tennis Association announced its team Wednesday, saying that the No. 1-ranked Williams has a back injury, and No. 18 Stephens is out with a wrist problem.

Italy also will be without its top two players, No. 7 Sara Errani and No. 14 Roberta Vinci.

Instead the visitors' roster is No. 45 Karin Knapp, No. 84 Camila Giorgi, Nastassja Burnett and Alice Matteucci.


Copyright 2014 by The Associated Press


http://espn.go.com/tennis/story/_/id/10370936/serena-williams-sloane-stephens-pull-fed-cup-injuries

 

[kskate2]

What's wrong w/ Ebony Smooth?

 

[RJD11]

What's wrong w/ Ebony Smooth?

Stephens is out with a wrist problem kskate

 

[RJD11]

US Team

1. Madison Keys ........ No 37

2. Alison Riske ........ No 47

3. Christina McHale .... No 59

4. Lauren Davis ....... No 60


Italys Team consists of Karen Knapp, Camilla Giorgi,

Nastassia Burnette, and Alice Matteucci.


All time H2H .......USA leads

9 Total 3
5 Clay 2
1 Hard 1
3 Grass 0
0 Carpet 0
0 Unknown 0
0 Indoors 2
9 Outdoors 1

 

[RJD11]

Summary

USA and Italy go head-to-head for the fourth time in six years. The two nations know each other well having contested back-to-back finals in 2009-10 and it is Italy who have got the better of recent meetings.

Not only did the Italians win both the finals in 2009 and 2010, but they also defeated USA in the first round in 2013. These are the only three victories that the Italians have registered against the North Americans in a rivalry that dates back to 1963.

USA holds a 9-3 overall lead in previous meetings between the two nations but is looking for its first win since 2003. The Americans hold the record for the most Fed Cup title wins (17), while 2013 winners Italy have now won the title in four of the past eight years.

 

[RJD11]

World Group 1st Round.....USA v Italy

R1
C. MCHALE
v
K. KNAPP
R2
M. KEYS
v
C. GIORGI
R3
M. KEYS
v
K. KNAPP
R4
C. MCHALE
v
C. GIORGI
R5
L. DAVIS
A. RISKE
v
N. BURNETT
A. MATTEUCCI

 

[kskate2]

Poor Mary Jo can't catch a break. The Americans got roasted yesterday by the Italian "B" team of Knapp/Giorgi. MJ decides to substitute Riske for Madison and the result is the same.

 

[RJD11]

Americans caught Knapping


After Knapp’s mental victory came Italy’s actual victory, earned by a impressive physical display. In a throwback to her confident first set, Knapp struck two heavy forehand winners and finished off Riske, and the United States, with an unreturned serve up the T. Game, set, match, and tie to Italy, and for the second Sunday in a row, the United States lost an international competition on home soil.


1-Italy beat U.S. 3-1

On Saturday

Camila Giorgi (Italy) beat Madison Keys (U.S.) 6-2 6-1

Karin Knapp (Italy) beat Christina Mchale (U.S.) 6-3 3-6 6-1

On Sunday

Lauren Davis/Madison Keys (U.S.) beat Nastassja Burnett/Alice Matteucci (Italy) 6-2 6-3

Karin Knapp (Italy) beat Alison Riske (U.S.) 6-3 7-5

 

[RJD11]

U.S. Fed Cup team to host France with World Group spot at stake
Fed Cup | Comments


The Americans will try to regain their place in the Fed Cup World Group when they play France at home in April, the ITF announced on Tuesday.

The United States lost to Italy 3-1 in the first round of World Group play last weekend in Cleveland, where captain Mary Joe Fernandez fielded a young team of Madison Keys, Alison Riske, Christina McHale and Lauren Davis. Meanwhile, France, which featured Alize Cornet and Kristina Mladenovic, defeated Switzerland 3-2 in World Group II to earn a shot at promotion to the top-flight World Group next year. The host city has yet to be determined.