U.S. Fed Cup team draws Italy in 1st round
July 11, 2013
The draw for the 2014 Fed Cup by BNP Paribas World Group was held today in Paris. As a result, the U.S. Fed Cup Team will open its 2014 Fed Cup campaign at home against Italy in the first round, February 8-9, 2014, at a venue to be determined by the USTA.
The U.S. also faced Italy in this year’s first round, losing a close, 3-2, tie in Rimini, Italy, despite two singles victories by Varvara Lepchenko over then-world No. 8 Sara Errani and then-world No. 16 Roberta Vinci in Lepchenko’s Fed Cup debut.
The U.S. also faced Italy in consecutive Fed Cup World Group finals in 2009 and 2010, both won by the Italians. Should the U.S. defeat Italy, it would either host the Czech Republic or Spain in the April 19-20 semifinals at a venue to be determined by the USTA.
The match will mark the 13th matchup between the U.S. and Italy in Fed Cup competition. Italy won the last three meetings, but the U.S. leads the overall series, 9-3. The U.S. last won against Italy in the 2003 World Group quarterfinal in Washington, D.C.