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al.com ♦ Our online home Your pocket guide to Fed Cup Saturday-Sunday, April 24-25 ♦ BJCC Arena

Tennis Etiquette The event The atmosphere of Fed 2. Cheer if you like. . Who: The Cup is unlike any other in Loudly. will square off against Rus- sia in a best-of-five tie with except, of course, Many people cheer their . four singles matches and a favorite on and even doubles match. Fed Cup has many of the applaud wildly for a nice . When: The first of two same rules of etiquette as rally. This is more than OK. singles matches will be other tennis events. But Unlike other Melanie where singing, chanting Oudin played Saturday begin- don’t expect polite claps as ning at 1 p.m. The other a sign of approval. and foot stomping might be considered taboo, it is two singles matches and “It’s basically no talking or welcomed here between the doubles match will be cheering during play, es- points. played on Sunday begin- by News staff writer Solomon Crenshaw Jr. pecially when somebody’s Fed Cup 101 competition primer ning at 1 p.m. about to ,” said Tim 3. No ringy-dingy. ed Cup is the premier team competi- as well as men, could play for their country . Where: Birmingham- Curry, the USTA director Put your phone on vibrate tion in women’s tennis, launched in in their home country. While the format has Jefferson Convention of public relations. “(But) or turn it off. There are 1963 to celebrate the 50th anniver- been adjusted several times since 1995, the Complex Arena. once the is over and moments of intense con- F sary of the International Tennis Federation. current format, introduced in 2005, incor- before somebody steps to centration for the players Tickets and the entire stadium The first Federation Cup attracted porates an eight-nation Group I and the line to serve, anything Single-day tickets start at will quiet down. A ringing entries from 16 teams. By 1994, 73 nations eight-nation World Group II playing both goes.” $60 and two-day tickets phone can be a terrible competed, and the host home-and-away over three from $100 to $300. They Here are some things to distraction, not to mention nation of a Federation Cup weekends throughout the remember at the Fed Cup: can be purchased online at talking on one. week was required to build year. ticketmaster.com or at the 1. Stay in your seat. 4. Keep comments a special tennis complex. The four losers in the BJCC on the day of event. Movement can take place about players and of- The rise in entries led to first round of the World when play has finished, ficial calls to yourself. the creation of regional Group I are drawn against Parking such as changing ends. You may disagree with a qualifying competitions the winners of World Group . Parking deck at Eighth Ushers will let you know call or a player may rub you in 1992 and, in 1995, the II for a place in the follow- Avenue North and 19th when you can re-enter the the wrong way. But com- Federation Cup adopted a ing year’s World Group I. Street North next to Bout- well Auditorium. stands. Exit and entry are ments to either of them new format and shortened The first-round losers from allowed only when play is Team USA Team are strictly prohibited. At its name to the Fed Cup. World Group II will compete . Free on-street parking not underway. You must times you may hear whis- and in metered lots (free Having seen the great success that the against the winners from Group 1 zonal move quickly as the time tling from fans when they on Saturday and Sunday) may be less than a few think a call is incorrect, home-and-away format had achieved in competitions for a place in World Group II under Interstate 20/59 minutes. When you return, but good tennis etiquette men’s Davis Cup, the format for the Fed the following year. The teams in Birming- across from the BJCC. settle yourself quickly. allows nothing more. Cup was changed in 1995 so that women, ham this week are part of World Group I. Fed Cup The players Team usa Team Russia

Melanie Bethanie Liezel Mary Joe Elena Ekaterina Alla Shamil Oudin Mattek-Sands Huber Fernandez Dementieva Makarova Kudryavtseva Tarpischev Age: 18 Age: 25 Age: 34 (captain) Age: 28 Age: 21 Age: 22 (captain) Residence: Marietta, Ga. Residence: Phoenix, Ariz. Residence: Cypress, Age: 38 Residence: Monte Carlo, Residence: Moscow Residence: Moscow Age: 62 Height/weight: 5-4 / Height/weight: 5-6 / Texas Residence: Miami, Fla. Monaco Height/weight: 5-11 / Height/weight: 5-10 / Residence: Not available 120 pounds 145 pounds Height/weight: 5-11 / Height/weight: 5-9 / Height/weight: 5-11 / 143 pounds 154 pounds Best finish as captain: Plays: Right-handed, Plays: Right-handed, 158 pounds 140 pounds 141 pounds Plays: Left-handed, two- Plays: Right-handed Champion in 2004, ’05, two-handed two-handed backhand Plays: Right-handed, Plays: Right-handed, Plays: Right-handed, handed backhand Record: Overall, 184- ’07 and ’08. Record: Overall 101-53, Record: Overall 199-163, two-handed backhand two-handed backhand two-handed backhand Record: Overall, 194-126. 151. Tour , 78 in Career: Has led Russia Tour ranking, 31. Tour Tour ranking, 129 singles, Record: Overall 175-159 Record: 3-1 Record: Overall, 552-260. Tour ranking, 62 singles, singles, 36 doubles. Tour to five Fed Cup finals. titles, none. 14 doubles. Tour titles, doubles, Tour ranking, 1. Tour ranking, 6. Tour 18 doubles. Tour titles, titles, none. Grand Slam Serves as Russian Tennis titles, none. Fed Cup singles none, doubles Tour titles, 41. Grand Slam Best finish as captain: titles, 16. Grand Slam none. Grand Slam titles, titles, none. Fed Cup sin- Federation president and singles record, (3-3 in live four. Grand Slam titles, titles, 9. Fed Cup singles Finals in 2009, falling titles, none. Fed Cup none. Fed Cup singles gles record, did not play captain of the Russian rubbers). Fed Cup titles, none. Fed Cup singles record, 0-1 in live rubbers. to 4-1 to Fed Cup singles record, 20-5. record, none. Fed Cup in lone prior appearance Davis Cup team, leading none. record, (1-2 in live singles Fed Cup doubles record, record as a player: Was Fed Cup titles, 2005 vs. doubles record, 1-0. Fed in 2007, against USA. Fed that squad to the 2002 rubbers, 2-0 in live dou- 13-3 overall, 4-1 for the a member of the 1996 . Cup titles, 2008 cham- Cup titles, none. title. Under his coaching, Strength: Her scrappy, title team, beating competitive nature. bles rubbers). Fed Cup U.S. (3-1 for the U.S. in Strength: Return of pionship over Spain Strength: Not available. the national tennis team titles, none. live rubbers). Fed Cup 5-0. Fed Cup record as a (played a dead doubles won 26 gold medals at Weakness: Her serve. player (1991, 1994-98), 12-8 serve, speed, ground- Weakness: Not available. Strength: Creativity and titles, none. strokes. rubber). European championships. Personal: Has a twin singles, 4-2 doubles. Career: Reached fourth touch, especially at net. Strength: , Weakness: Serve. Strength: Not available. sister, Katherine, and a experience and tenacity. Personal: Took over as round of Wimbledon younger sister, Christina. Weakness: Consistency U.S. Fed Cup captain in Career: 2009 Olympus Weakness: Not available. in 2008 Homeschooled from on big shots. Weakness: Court speed 2009 after earning two U.S. Open Series cham- Career: Reached the first seventh grade on so she Personal: Reached semi- but that’s nitpicking for Olympic gold medals, pion. Reached the final two Tour-level finals of could have more time finals of the WTA Tour the world’s top doubles two Grand Slam doubles at both the her career in 2009 at Fes for tennis practice. Her events in Cincinnati and player. titles and seven career and the U.S. Open in and Estoril. Was a mixed idol is , who Birmingham, , and Personal: Coached by singles crowns. She 2004. Has six Grand Slam doubles finalist at the showed one doesn’t have finals of the Bell Chal- husband Tony Huber appeared in a Grand semifinal appearances. 2010 . to be tall to win. Her lenge in 2008. Married and Roger Anderson. An Slam final three times Personal: Coached by Achieved a career-high grandmother inspired her Justin Sands on Nov. 29, American citizen since – Australian Open (1990 her mother, Vera. Enjoys ranking of No. 35 last and her sister to play ten- 2008. Enjoys shop- July 25, 2007. Youngest of & 1992) and French Open skiing. Loves animals and May nis when she gave them ping, fashion, dancing, three children; brother (1993). Married, mother has a Yorkshire terrier racquets and lessons watching squash and NFL is Janus, twin sister is of two. named Patrick. when they were young. football. Monita.

Fed Cup coverage in print & online . Daily in the Sports section of The Birmingham News . Online updates at al.com: al.com/birmingham . Follow Jon Solomons’ blog Solomon’s Wisdom at blog.al.com/solomon