MINSK, 11 March (BelTA) – The playoff match between Belarus and Russia for the place in the Fed Cup World Group will take place in Moscow on 16-17 April, BelTA learnt from the Belarusian Tennis Federation.
Russia, the host of the forthcoming playoffs, decided to hold the matches on an indoor clay court at the Luzhniki Small Sports Arena. Other options included Sochi and Vladivostok.
The final rosters will be announced later. It is known, however, that the Russian team will play without Maria Sharapova who did not plan to defend Russia's colors against Belarus even before the current doping scandal. As for Belarus' number one Victoria Azarenka, the issue of her possible participation in the playoff match remains open. It is much likely she will not play against Russia. The final roster of Team Belarus will be announced by 6 April, the day the official application should be submitted, the Belarusian Tennis Federation said.
In the previous years the Belarusian and Russian players met three times on court. Belarusians celebrated the victory twice (1995, 1996). Russians were victorious in 1997. All the matches took place at the various stages of the Federation Cup Euro/Africa Group I.
The Belarusian tennis players defeated Canada 3-2 in the first round of the 2016 Federation Cup World Group II in Quebec. The victory brought Belarus up to the 12th position in the ITF Fed Cup Nations Ranking. Russians suffered a home defeat to the Netherlands 1-3 in the Fed Cup World Group first round and are currently ranked 2nd in the world.
The other Federation Cup World Group playoff pairs are:
Spain vs. Italy,
Romania vs. Germany
Australia vs. the USA
The winners will get promotion into the World Group for 2017. The losers will stay in the World Group II.
The 2016 World Group and World Group II playoffs will take place alongside the World Group semifinals on 16-17 April. In the semifinals, Switzerland will host the Czech Republic, and France will take on the Netherlands. The winners of the semifinals will compete for the main trophy of the competitions on 12-13 November. Last year the Fed Cup was won by the Czech Republic that beat Russia in the final 3-2. The Czech Republic also won the Fed Cup in 2011, 2012, 2014.
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