Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario, winner again on the European clay

to play. On a plus side for the Croatians, the USA were without their #1 player Lindsay Davenport, who was sidelined with a wrist injury, and the tie was to take place on clay, the Croatians' favoured surface. Despite these concessions, the USA, represented by Monica Seles and Chanda Rubin, were devastating in their 5-0 dismissal of the Croatian team, represented by Iva Majoli and Silvija Talaja. After a stunning first rubber between Chanda Rubin and Iva Majoli, which was decided in three incredibly close sets (10-8 in the third!), there was nothing more the Croatians could do to stop the wave of the USA. Monica Seles was particularly deadly without coming close to conceding a single set and keeping her Fed Cup winning streak alive in singles. And in teaming up with Chanda Rubin for a dead doubles rubber, the USA team once again prevailed in straight sets over an unimposing team of Majoli and Talaja.

Italy used their home court status to their advantage when they dismissed defending champion Spain on a fast supreme indoor court. Led by Italian #1 Silvia Farina, the Italians had little trouble in their 3-1 demolition of the Spanish B-team (minus Sanchez-Vicario and Martinez). With the Swiss without their two WTA top 10 players, they had to rely on their next ranked player, #102 Emanuelle Gagliardi, to lead them back to contention for the Fed Cup. Unfortunately, to put it bluntly, the Swiss team is no threat without either Martina Hingis or Patty Schnyder. Against some experienced campaigners in the Slovak Republic team (represented by in-form Henrieta Nagyova and former top 10'er Karina Habsudova), they became the underdog team on their home turf, and this status was justified with the Slovak team prevailing 5-0. Meanwhile, Russia upset a heavily favoured French team on a supreme indoor court. It seemed that the player in question for the tie was Nathalie Tauziat who has been rather shaky in form since the beginning of the season. A shame because the supreme court is one of the most agreeable surfaces to her aggressive serve/volley game, but without form, it would be impossible to win against some solid players on the Russian team led by Elena Likhovtseva (minus starlet Anna Kournikova). Amelie Mauresmo was able to win both her singles matches, and in the process gain some revenge over Likhovtseva who defeated her at Key Biscayne last month. Tatiana Panova upset

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