Wednesday 19 November

 

11:00 (08:00 GMT) Belgium v USA

 

Els Callens (BEL) v Lisa Raymond (USA)

Kirsten Flipkens (BEL) v Meghann Shaughnessy (USA)

 

Not before 17:00 (14:00 GMT) Russia v France

 

Vera Zvonareva (RUS) v Amelie Mauresmo (FRA)

Anastasia Myskina (RUS) v Mary Pierce (FRA)

 

 

Thursday 20 November

 

11:00 (08:00 GMT) Belgium v USA

 

Els Callens (BEL) v Meghann Shaughnessy (USA)

Kirsten Flipkens (BEL) v Lisa Raymond (USA)

Elke Clijsters/Caroline Maes (BEL) v Martina Navratilova/Lisa Raymond (USA)

 

Not before 17:00 (14:00 GMT) Russia v France

 

Anastasia Myskina (RUS) v Amelie Mauresmo (FRA)

Vera Zvonareva (RUS) v Mary Pierce (FRA)

Elena Dementieva/Nadia Petrova (RUS) v Emilie Loit/Mary Pierce (FRA)

 

 

The 2003 Fed Cup Semifinals and Final are being played on an indoor carpet court at the Olympic Stadium, Moscow, from 19-23 November. Following the semifinals, there will be a rest day on Friday 21 November when the draw for the final will be made. The draw for the 2004 Fed Cup World Group competition will be made at the same time. The 2003 Fed Cup Final will be played on Saturday 22 and Sunday 23 November. Nations that qualify for the final must nominate their team on Friday 21 November. The players nominated may be different from those nominated for the semifinal.

 

 

2004 World Group Seedings

 

The International Tennis Federation (ITF) also announced today the seeded nations for the Fed Cup World Group 2004. The draw for the 2004 World Group takes place on Friday, 21 November 2003, at the Olympic Stadium in Moscow, following the Draw for the 2003 Final, which starts at 13:00 hrs (10:00 GMT).

 

The seeded nations for next year are:

 

Seed #1-2         USA

                        Belgium

Seed #3-4         Russia

                        France

Seeds #5-8        Italy

                        Japan

                        Slovak Republic

                        Spain

 

 

They will be drawn against Argentina, Australia, Austria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Germany, Slovenia and Switzerland. The ITF’s Fed Cup Committee, chaired by Dr Georg von Waldenfels (GER), makes all seeding decisions for the competition, and met by conference call to finalise these seedings.

 

Other members of the Committee are Jane Brown (USA), Ann Jones (GBR), Pierre-Paul de Keghel (BEL), Aleksei Selivanenko (RUS) and Nathalie Tauziat (FRA -Observer).

 

The criteria for seeding, used by the Fed Cup Committee, includes the ITF Fed Cup Nations Ranking, rankings of players likely to participate, experience on different surfaces, past performances in the competition, experience in doubles and other relevant criteria.

 

The Fed Cup World Group first round ties will take place on 24-25 April 2004, with the Quarterfinals on 10-11 July, and the Semifinals and Final in the week commencing 22 November.

 

The ITF has also announced the nations participating in Groups I, II and III for 2004. The Europe/Africa Zone will have three groups next year, while in the Americas and Asia/Oceania Zones there are two groups. (Group III nations in Asia/Oceania Zone have been amalgamated into Group II). All of these events will be played in the week commencing Monday 19 April 2004, except for Europe/Africa Zone Groups II & III which will be played - both at the same venue in Malta - the week commencing Monday 26th April. A list of nations competing in these Zones and Groups, with venues where confirmed, may be found overleaf. A total of 90 nations are entered in the Fed Cup 2004.

 

 

2004 Fed Cup Zone Groups

 

Europe/Africa Zone, Group I - Venue TBC

Nations (14): Belarus, Bulgaria, Denmark, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Israel, Lithuania, Netherlands, Poland,

Serbia & Montenegro, South Africa, Sweden, Ukraine.

 

 

Europe/Africa Zone Group II - Malta

Nations (11): Egypt, Finland, Georgia, Great Britain, Ireland, Latvia, Luxembourg, Morocco, Portugal, Romania and

Turkey.

 

 

Europe/Africa Zone Group III - Malta

Nations (11): Algeria, Angola, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Botswana, Kenya*, Lesotho, FYR Macedonia, Malta, Namibia*,

Norway, Tunisia.

 

Asia/Oceania Zone Group I - India

Nations (10): China PR, Chinese Taipei, India, Indonesia, Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Thailand,

Uzbekistan

 

Asia/Oceania Zone Group II - India

Nations (8): Bangladesh*, China Hong Kong, Jordan*, Pacific Oceania, Singapore*, Syria, Turkmenistan, Vietnam

 

Americas Zone Group I - Brazil, TBC

Nations (9): Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, El Salvador, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Uruguay

 

Americas Zone Group II - Brazil, TBC

Nations (11): Bahamas, Bermuda, Bolivia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Jamaica,

Panama, Paraguay, Venezuela

 

* Denotes a new nation / entry for 2004.