‘Favourable’ Fed Cup draw for South Africa

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16 April 2014

The South African Fed Cup team was given a favourable draw for this week’s Euro Africa Group 2 tournament in Siauliai, Lithuania, which starts on Wednesday and runs through until Saturday.

Pools

The draw, conducted on Tuesday, saw South Africa put together in Pool B with seeded Georgia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Egypt. Pool A features the seeded Montenegro, Finland, Lithuania and Liechtenstein.

The tournament, which will be played on hard courts, will be contested on a round- robin basis in each pool of four teams.

South Africa open their campaign on Wednesday against Bosnia and Herzegovina. The order of play for each day of the competition will be determined at the end of play each day before the following day.

‘Favourable’

After the draw was made, South African captain Earl Grainger described it as “favourable” for South Africa, but warned that the competition was tough.

“Actually, in this type of competition there is no good draw,” he added, backtracking somewhat. “Each draw is tough as you have a gruelling three days of round-robin competition where every rubber played in each tie is important.

“We have prepared well, are happy with the conditions, and my team are ready to give their very best for the country.

“Hopefully come Sunday we will gain promotion to Group 1, which is our aim and objective.”

Playoffs

The winner of Pool A will play-off against the runner-up of Pool B and the winner of Pool B will play-off against the runner up of Pool A to determine which two nations advance to Euro/Africa Group 1 in 2015.

The nation in 3rd place in Pool A will play-off against the nation in 4th place in Pool B and the nation in 3rd place in Pool B will play-off against the nation in 4th place in Pool A to determine which two nations will be relegated to Euro/Africa Zone Group 3 in 2015.

SOUTH AFRICAN FED CUP TEAM

Chanel Simmonds, Madrie Le Roux, Natasha Fourouclas, Natalie Grandin and captain Earl Grainger

SAinfo reporter