Maria Sharapova and Vera Zvonareva to miss Fed Cup tie against Serbia – Tennis News
Serbian Federation Cup features two former world number ones, Jelena Jankovic and Ana Ivanovic, who will take on the handicapped Russian team. Former world number one, Maria Sharapova and former playboy magazine cover model, Vera
Zvonareva, are out of the team due to injuries. The latter player was in the training sessions for the Federation Cup but wasn’t included in the squad because Russian Tennis Federation was in no mood to risk the health of their superstar.
Russia was the runners-up last year but it seems difficult this time around. However, the likes of 21st ranked beauty starlet, Maria Kirilenko, who will be backed by Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova doubles specialists, Svetlana
Kuznetsova, and Elena Vesnina. Kuznetsova has won two singles Grand Slam titles as well and she has changed her hair style as well that might turnaround luck for her.
Shamil Tarpishchev, the Russian Fed Cup team captain stated, “We have chosen the best players we have available at the moment. Unfortunately Maria (Sharapova) and Vera (Zvonareva) are sidelined with injuries and will be unable
to help our team. Zvonareva wanted to play and she came to Moscow to practice with the team, but we will not take a risk with the health.”
The tie will take place in Moscow on clay court but the Russian team captain doesn’t seem to be happy with the conditions especially with the preparation of the courts. She mentioned that there are several mistakes committed while
preparing the surface that can be disastrous for players.
On the other hand, Serbia's Fed Cup team captain, Dejan Vranes, has all elite players at her disposal. Teaming up with two former world number ones is the likes of 96th ranked Bojana Jovanovski, and the 195th
ranked contestant, Aleksandra Krunic. The team is very versatile and capable of powering down a reasonable strong squad; however, the top two players need to stand up for the task to boost morale of the two inferior ranked starlets.
Serbia’s captain stated, “Ivanovic and Jankovic are both world class players and I'm proud to be a captain of this great team. We have an excellent line-up which is set to shine here and clinch a success." Russian squad still seems
better with all four players in the Top-100 world rankings but Serbia can edge ahead provided Jankovic and Ivanovic lead from the front with round rubbers victories. The tournament starts in the next week.
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