ISRAEL: TENNIS - Maria Sharapova's long-awaited Fed Cup debut set to begin in Tel Aviv

Record ID: 395779

  • Title: ISRAEL: TENNIS - Maria Sharapova's long-awaited Fed Cup debut set to begin in Tel Aviv
  • Date: 30th January 2008
  • Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (English) RUSSIAN PLAYER MARIA SHARAPOVA SAYING: "This is like I said before, this is a great opportunity for me because tennis is such an individual sport and although you play for your country on a daily basis now you are part of a team, and that's the wonderful thing about it is that it's different, and from the beginning of the year this was one of my top p
  • Embargoed: 14th February 2008 12:00
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  • Location: Israel
  • Country: Israel
  • Topics: Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVACLWGASDOAYXUXHFGBL4256P75
  • Story Text: Tennis world number five, Maria Sharapova, leads Russia in this weekend's Fed Cup first round match against Israel in Tel Aviv.
    Australian Open champion Maria Sharapova is set to make her long-awaited Fed Cup debut for defending champions Russia at the weekend when they face hosts Israel who make their first World Group appearance.
    The two-day first-round tie on Feb 2-3 is one of four taking place around the globe with the United States hosting Germany in California, China v. France in Beijing, and Italy at home to Spain in Naples.
    Russia are going for their fourth title in the last five years with world No. 7 Anna Chakvetadze expected to back up Sharapova (5) as the second singles player and Dinara Safina (16) and Elena Vesnina (53) the other two team members.
    The Israeli team comprises world No. 17 Shahar Peer, 34-year-old Tzipi Obziler (85) and low-ranked youngsters Julia Glushko and Keren Shlomo.
    Sharapova said she would finally realise an ambition by playing for her country.
    "This is a great opportunity for me because tennis is such an individual sport and although you play for your country on a daily basis, now you are part of a team, and that's the wonderful thing about it is that it's different, and from the beginning of the year this was one of my top priorities, along with winning the Grand Slam. So I've won the Slam and now I get to do something that I was also very excited about," Sharapova told a news conference in the Israeli city of Herzliya on Tuesday (January 29).
    Giggling Sharapova said it was "wonderful" to be a member of the team. She had reportedly been at odds with some of her compatriots in the past, but there was no sign of any tension at a news conference.
    Team members and captain Shamil Tarpischev were joking among themselves and with reporters, and expressed some amused worries over the crowd, not the actual match.
    "I don't care if it is 5-0 or 3-2, any win will be good for me," said Tarpischev with laughter, and player Anna Chakvetadze added that she thinks "it will be very tough against Shahar (Peer) especially here in Israel where all the crowd is against us."
    "I hope it will be much more, you know, than we expect, that some more people will come to cheer us and it will be tough. And you know, last time I beat her in New York and anyway most of the crowd was against me, so here I can't even imagine how it will be," she said.
    Israel is currently riding a wave of tennis euphoria after doubles successes at the Australian Open for men's duo Andy Ram and Jonathan Erlich, and women's No. 1 Peer, who lost in the doubles final with Belarus partner Victoria Azarenko.
    Peer, who has attained the highest-ever world ranking by an Israeli man or woman, will be part of a team which has never played at home.
    "It's pretty obvious that an event like this hasn't taken place in this country I think ever. The top nation in Federation Cup, Russia, is playing a whole match in the last eight in Federation Cup. I think it's...
    that by itself, everybody can understand what it means. I think for the Israeli crowd it's an unreal opportunity to meet the top of women's tennis," Israeli team captain Oded Jacob said.
    Peer was realistic about the team's chances.
    "If you look at the ranking, we are not supposed to win, but we are here in Israel. We are playing first time in front of our crowd. I think the stadium is going to be full. I heard there is no more tickets, so I'm sure we'll have a lot of support and with all the crowd and all the team together hanging out this week all together, I think we have good chances," Peer said.
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