Written by
The Sports Network
Moscow, Russia (Sports Network) - The 2012 Fed Cup quarterfinal between host
Russia and Spain will commence Saturday with a singles match between
Australian Open runner-up Maria Sharapova and Spaniard Silvia Soler-Espinosa.
"I'm satisfied with the draw," Sharapova said. "I wanted to play in the first
match and I'm happy I will."
Sharapova was last week's Aussie runner-up to No. 1 Belarusian star Victoria
Azarenka. The currently third-ranked Sharapova is a three-time Grand Slam
champion and former world No. 1.
The Sharapova-Soler-Espinosa match will be followed by a rubber between former
top-five Russian star Svetlana Kuznetsova and Carla Suarez Navarro.
On Sunday, the reverse singles will pit Sharapova against Suarez Navarro and
Kuznetsova versus Soler-Espinosa, while the doubles call for a Russian tandem
of Ekaterina Makarova and Nadia Petrova to take on a Spanish duo of Nuria
Llagostera Vives and Arantxa Parra Santonja.
The Russians, captained by Shamil Tarpischev, were last year's Fed Cup
runners-up to the Czech Republic.
Team Spain is captained by one of tennis' all-time greats, Arantxa Sanchez-
Vicario.
Russia is 5-1 all-time versus Spain in Fed Cup play. The Russians own four
titles, while the Spaniards are five-time winners of the coveted chalice.
The winner here will meet the Belgium-Serbia victor in the semifinals in
April.
The Sports Network