Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario, winner again on the European clay


upset the world #11 Nathalie Tauziat in straight sets, a surprise considering how much the surface was as much in Tauziat's favour as it was to Panova's disadvantage. Likhovtseva kept her winning ways over Tauziat and extended her lead in the series to 5-1 by keeping in constant control of the situation and never giving Tauziat an opportunity to find her rhythm and get back into the match. The doubles would decide the tie, and with a doubles top 10 player on each team, the match was supposed to be close and intense. Not to be for the French pair of Mauresmo and Tauziat who were defeated 6-0 7-6 by Likhovtseva and Makarova who with that victory, advanced to the Fed Cup semi finals for the first time in Fed Cup history.

Straight after Wimbledon in July, the Fed Cup semi finals take place and the draw is as follows:
(host nation mentioned first)

  • Italy vs USA
  • Slovak Republic vs Russia
It is likely that the players participating in the first round of Fed Cup will once again represent their respective countries for the semi finals, although the depth of the USA team can allow them to pick and choose according to form and availability. With the teams as they are, the USA are now heavily favoured to win the Fed Cup title for the first time since 1996. However, if Anna Kournikova can show up for Fed Cup (which is rather unlikely given the row between herself and the Russian Tennis Federation), the Russian team just might be able to give the USA a run for their money at taking the championship trophy again.

Top contenders for the 1999 claycourt season and why
#1 MARTINA HINGIS - She is world #1 for a reason. Her game is so adaptable that she is just as successful on clay as she is on grass. What is incredibly remarkable about Martina is that she knows exactly what she needs to do in order to beat any player on any surface, and clay is the surface she grew up on. She has won a couple of tier I level clay court tournaments including the Italian Open last year and Hilton Head this year, plus she reached the final of the French Open two years ago. She will come out ready to play at Roland Garros this year as the French Open is the only major to elude Martina.

#3 MONICA

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