Fed Cup Schedule

The ITF (International Tennis Federation) has had difficult decisions to make regarding the 2009 Fed Cup Schedule. Not only do the needs and whims of the top international players have to be catered for, but they also had to cater for players entered into the 2008 Olympic Games which took place in Beijing, China in early in August. 2009 will have its fair share of schedule difficulties.

With an already overflowing competitive tennis calendar, the ITF has decided to move the dates for the Fed Cup up a little, in an effort to accommodate all the top-ranked players. The schedule consequently includes a new date for the Fed Cup in the week following the first Grand Slam event of the year, the Australian Open Tennis Tournament.

The dates for the Fed Cup Tennis Schedule 2009 are:

• World Group First Round – 7 February - 8 April
• Semifinal and Playoff Round – 25 April - 26 April
• Final Round – 7 November - 8 November

The following nations will compete in the World Group, current ITF rankings in brackets:

1. Russia (1)
2. China (6)
3. Italy (2)
4. France (6)
5. Argentina (9)
6. USA (4)
7. Czech Republic (9)
8. Spain (3)

The flowing nations will compete in the World Group 2, current ITF rankings in brackets:

1. Belgium (7)
2. Slovak Republic (16)
3. Germany (12)
4. Switzerland (15)
5. Serbia (14)
6. Japan (11)
7. Ukraine (13)
8. Israel (10)

Of the 20 top ranked teams, the following teams have been relegated to their specific geographic zones in the Fed Cup Tennis Schedule 2009:

1. Slovak Republic (16)
2. Australia (20)
3. Croatia (19)
4. Chinese Taipei (18)