Russia, Spain, China P.R. Reach Fed Cup Semis, USA vs. Germany Postponed

Russia, Spain, and China P.R. reached the semifinals of the 2008 Fed Cup by BNP Paribas on Sunday.

Germany and USA are tied 1-1 in their first round meeting after rain postponed the remaining three matches until Monday.

WORLD GROUP FIRST ROUND

RUSSIA defeated ISRAEL 4-1
Venue: Canada Stadium, Ramat Hasharon, Israel (hard - outdoors)

Shahar Peer (ISR) d. Dinara Safina (RUS) 06 62 62
Maria Sharapova (RUS) d. Tzipi Obziler (ISR) 60 64
Maria Sharapova (RUS) d. Shahar Peer (ISR) 61 61
Anna Chakvetadze (RUS) d. Tzipi Obziler (ISR) 64 62
Dinara Safina/Elena Vesnina (RUS) d. Tzipi Obziler/Shahar Peer (ISR) 60 16 64

USA level with GERMANY 1-1
Venue: La Jolla Beach and Tennis Club, La Jolla, CA, USA (hard - outdoors)

Sabine Lisicki (GER) d. Lindsay Davenport (USA) 61 75
Ashley Harkleroad (USA) d. Tatjana Malek (GER) 61 63
Lindsay Davenport (USA) v Tatjana Malek (GER) abandoned due to rain. Tie resumes Monday 4 February
Ashley Harkleroad (USA) v Sabine Lisicki (GER)
Lisa Raymond/Lindsay Davenport (USA) v Anna-Lena Groenefeld/Julia Georges (GER)

CHINA, P.R. defeated FRANCE 3-2
Venue: Beijing International Tennis Centre, Beijing, China, P.R. (hard – indoors)

Na Li (CHN) d. Alize Cornet (FRA) 63 61
Shuai Peng (CHN) d. Virginie Razzano (FRA) 46 63 64
Virginie Razzano (FRA) d. Na Li (CHN) 46 62 64
Nathalie Dechy (FRA) d. Zi Yan (CHN) 63 62
Zi Yan/Jie Zheng (CHN) d. Nathalie Dechy/Virginie Razzano (FRA) 75 76(5)

SPAIN defeated ITALY 3-2
Venue: PalaVesuvio, Naples, Italy (hard - indoors)

Nuria Llagostera Vives (ESP) d. Francesca Schiavone (ITA) 76(4) 36 62
Anabel Medina Garrigues (ESP) d. Flavia Pennetta (ITA) 62 63
Anabel Medina Garrigues (ESP) d. Francesca Schiavone (ITA) 64 61
Sara Errani (ITA) d. Lourdes Dominguez-Lino (ESP) 57 64 60
Sara Errani/Tathiana Garbin (ITA) d. Nuria Llagostera Vives/Carla Suarez-Navarro (ESP) 64 63

WORLD GROUP II FIRST ROUND

UKRAINE defeated BELGIUM 3-2
Venue: Palace of Sports “Lokomotiv”, Kharkov, Ukraine (clay - indoors)

Alona Bondarenko (UKR) d. Kirsten Flipkens (BEL) 61 62
Yanina Wickmayer (BEL) d. Katerina Bondarenko (UKR) 76(5) 61
Yanina Wickmayer (BEL) d. Alona Bondarenko (UKR) 63 64
Katerina Bondarenko (UKR) d. Tamaryn Hendler (BEL) 46 64 61
Alona Bondarenko/Katerina Bondarenko (UKR) d. Caroline Maes/Yanina Wickmayer (BEL) 62 63

JAPAN defeated CROATIA 4-1
Venue: Beans Dome, Mikishi, Japan (hard - indoors)

Akiko Morigami (JPN) d. Nika Ozegovic (CRO) 26 75 61
Jelena Kostanic Tosic (CRO) d. Aiko Nakamura (JPN) 63 36 63
Akiko Morigami (JPN) d. Jelena Kostanic Tosic (CRO) 61 62
Aiko Nakamura (JPN) d. Nika Ozegovic (CRO) 60 46 62
Rika Fujiwara/Ayumi Morita (JPN) d. Petra Martic/Ana Vrljic (CRO) 62 63

CZECH REPUBLIC defeated SLOVAK REPUBLIC 3-2
Venue: Brno Exhibition Centre, Brno, Czech Republic (carpet - indoors)

Dominika Cibulkova (SVK) d. Petra Cetkovska (CZE) 75 63
Nicole Vaidisova (CZE) d. Magdalena Rybarikova (SVK) 75 64
Nicole Vaidisova (CZE) d. Dominika Cibulkova (SVK) 36 63 61
Magdalena Rybarikova (SVK) d. Petra Cetkovska (CZE) 64 63
Nicole Vaidisova/Kveta Peschke (CZE) d. Dominika Cibulkova/Janette Husarova (SVK) 61 26 64

ARGENTINA defeated AUSTRIA 4-1
Venue: Estadio Parque Roca, Buenos Aires, Argentina (clay - outdoors)

Jorgelina Cravero (ARG) d. Yvonne Meusberger (AUT) 76(4) 63
Melanie Klaffner (AUT) d. Maria Emilia Salerni (ARG) 26 63 75
Maria Emilia Salerni (ARG) d. Patricia Mayr (AUT) 75 36 62
Jorgelina Cravero (ARG) d. Melanie Klaffner (AUT) 64 64
Maria Irigoyen/Betina Jozami (ARG) d. Yvonne Meusburger/Barbara Schwartz (AUT) 61 46 63

If you enjoyed this tennis article, please sign up for a free subscription!