ITF Agrees To A Change Of Venue For Fed Cup Tie Switzerland Vs. Australia

Written by: Staff on 27th February 2013

ITF Agrees To A Change Of Venue For Fed Cup Tie Switzerland Vs. Australia

epa03186856 Australian tennis players Samantha Stosur (L) and Olivia Rogowska attend a press conference in Stuttgart, Germany, 18 April 2012. The Fed Cup relegation matches between Germany and Australia will take place at the Porsche Arena in Stuttgart from 21 till 22 April 2012. EPA/MARIJAN MURAT |

The geographical course of the tennis calendar has meant Australia has given up home advantage in their upcoming Fed Cup World Group playoff tie against Switzerland on April 20-21.

Samantha Stosur and the other leading Australian players will all be in Europe, about to contest the ensuing Porsche Grand Prix in Stuttgart that begins the following day and concentrated on the buildup to the French Open.

So the Fed Cup committee has approved a proposal by the two nations to move the tie to Switzerland. As part of the agreement, Australia will now have choice of ground on the next two occasions Australia and Switzerland meet in Fed Cup.

The tie will now be played outdoors on red clay at the Tennis Club Chiasso in Chiasso, close to Lake Como and the Italian border.

Australian captain Alicia Molik is not overly concerned at giving up home advantage. Her team were beaten 4-0 by defending champions the Czech Republic in Ostrava at the beginning of the month but she said: “I think we’ve got the talent.

“Our players are more than good enough to remain in the World Group. We’re a top-eight team I believe, every day of the week.”

The Swiss, who beat Belgium 4-1 at home in World Group II, have world no.59 Romani Oprandi and 71st ranked Stefanie Voegele at their disposal for singles while Timea Bacsinzsky and Amra Sadikovic are the doubles team.

Former French Open finalist and US Open champion Stosur will lead the Aussies with 121st ranked Casey Dellacqua, 160th ranked Jarmila Gajdosova and teenager Ash Barty as back up.

Swiss captain Heinz Guenthardt was reported on fedcup.com as saying that the staging of the tie on European clay in spring made perfect sense for all players involved given the time of year.

Topics: Alicia Molik, australian fed cup, Fed Cup, Heinz Guenthardt, Itf, Samantha Stosur, Swiss Fed Cup, Tennis News, women tennis news