World Group semifinals and World Group/World Group II play-offs

London-April 11, 2012: The ITF has announced the official team nominations for the Fed Cup by BNP Paribas World Group semifinals, and World Group and World Group II play-offs taking place on 21-22 April.

In addition, the following Zone Group events are taking place the week of 16 April: Europe/Africa Zone Groups II and III in Cairo, Egypt; and Americas Zone Group II in Guadalajara, Mexico.

Fed Cup by BNP Paribas is the largest annual international team competition in women’s sport, with 90 nations entered in 2012. The event was established in 1963 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the founding of the ITF. The title sponsor is BNP Paribas, the Official Bank of Fed Cup. Adecco (Official HR Sponsor) and BoscoSport (Official Clothing Sponsor) are international sponsors, and Wilson Sporting Goods (Official Ball) is an international partner. Follow all the action on www.fedcup.com, www.fedcup.com/es and www.twitter.com/fedcup.

WORLD GROUP SEMIFINALS

RUSSIA v SERBIA: Venue: Sports Palace “Megasport”, Moscow, RUS (clay – indoors)

Russia: Maria Kirilenko, Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, Svetlana Kuznetsova, Elena Vesnina, Captain: Shamil Tarpischev

Serbia: Ana Ivanovic, Jelena Jankovic, Bojana Jovanovski, Aleksandra Krunic, Captain: Dejan Vranes

CZECH REPUBLIC v ITALY: Venue: CEZ Arena, Ostrava, CZE (hard – indoors)

Czech Republic: Petra Kvitova, Lucie Safarova, Lucie Hradecka, Andrea Hlavackova, Captain: Petr Pala

Italy: Francesca Schiavone, Roberta Vinci, Flavia Pennetta, Sara Errani, Captain: Corrado Barazzutti

WORLD GROUP PLAY-OFFS

UKRAINE v USA: Venue: Superior Golf & Spa Resort, Kharkiv, UKR (clay – outdoors)

Ukraine: Lesia Tsurenko, Elina Svitolina, Lyudmyla Kichenok, Nadiya Kichenok, Captain: Igor Dernovskyi

USA: Serena Williams, Christina McHale, Sloane Stephens, Liezel Huber, Captain: Mary Joe Fernandez

JAPAN v BELGIUM: Venue: Ariake Coliseum, Tokyo, Japan (hard – indoors)

Japan: Ayumi Morita, Kimiko Date-Krumm, Kurumi Nara, Rika Fujiwara, Captain: Takeshi Murakami

Belgium: Kirsten Flipkens, Tamaryn Hendler, Alison Van Uytvanck, An-Sophie Mestach, Captain: Ann Devries

SPAIN v SLOVAK REPUBLIC: Venue: Club de Tenis Puente Romano, Marbella, Spain (clay – outdoors)

Spain: Silvia Soler-Espinosa, Lourdes Dominguez-Lino, Arantxa Parra-Santonja, Nuria Llagostera Vives, Captain: Arantxa Sanchez Vicario

Slovak Republic: Dominika Cibulkova, Daniela Hantuchova, Magdalena Rybarikova, Anna Karolina, Schmiedlova, Captain: Matej Liptak

GERMANY v AUSTRALIA: Venue: Porsche Arena, Stuttgart, GER (clay – indoors)

Germany: Andrea Petkovic, Angelique Kerber, Julia Goerges, Anna-Lena Groenefeld, Captain: Barbara Rittner

Australia: Samantha Stosur, Jarmila Gajdosova, Casey Dellacqua, Olivia Rogowska, Captain: David Taylor

WORLD GROUP II PLAY-OFFS

FRANCE v SLOVENIA: Venue: Palais des Sports, Besancon, FRA (hard – indoors)

France: Pauline Parmentier, Stephanie Foretz Gacon, Virginie Razzano, Kristina Mladenovic, Captain: Nicolas Escude

Slovenia: Polona Hercog, Petra Rampre, Nastja Kolar, Katarina Srebotnik, Captain: Maja Matevzic

SWITZERLAND v BELARUS: Venue: Complexe Sportive des Iles, Yverdon-les-Bains, SUI (hard – indoors)

Switzerland: Stefanie Voegele, Amra Sadikovic, Timea Bacsinszky, Belinda Bencic, Captain: Heinz Guenthardt

Belarus: Olga Govortsova, Darya Kustova, Aliaksandra Sasnovich, Darya Lebesheva, Captain: Alexander Skrypko

SWEDEN v GREAT BRITAIN: Venue: Borashallen, Boras, SWE (hard – indoors)

Sweden: Sofia Arvidsson, Johanna Larsson, Hilda Melander, Ellen Allgurin, Captain: Maria Strandlund-Tomsvik

Great Britain: Elena Baltacha, Anne Keothavong, Heather Watson, Laura Robson, Captain: Judy Murray

ARGENTINA v CHINA, P.R.: Venue: Parque Roca, Buenos Aires, ARG (clay – outdoors)

Argentina: Paula Ormaechea, Florencia Molinero, Maria Irigoyen, Mailen Auroux, Captain: Bettina Fulco

China, P.R.: Wang Qiang, Zhou Yi-Miao, Liang Chen, Liu Wan-Ting, Captain: Fu Zhong

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