A number of star players will be missing from Fed Cup action next week. Flavia Pennetta has been ruled out of three-time defending champion Italy's World Group semifinal against Russia because of a shoulder problem, while Italy's other top player, Francesca Schiavone, declined to play the tie. It's the first time since 2002 that both have been absent from the squad. Russia will be a favorite at home with a strong team that includes No. 3 Vera Zvonareva, Svetlana Kuznetsova, Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova and Ekaterina Makarova. Itay's team will include Alberta Brianti, Maria Elena Camerin, Sara Errani and Roberta Vinci.
World No. 2 Kim Clijsters is out for a month and will be unable to contest Belgium's semifinal tie at home against the Czech Republic. Belgium will be led by Yanina Wickmayer, veteran Kirsten Flipkens and Aussie Open junior champion An-Sophie Mestach. The Czechs have a solid lineup featuring Petra Kvitova, Lucie Safarova, Iveta Benesova and Barbora Zahlavova Strycova.
World No. 6 Sam Stosur has opted out of Australia's World Group playoff against Ukraine to concentrate on the clay-court season. Stosur, who has been in a slump, lost both her matches in Australia's first round loss against Italy in February. Australia still has a reasonably strong squad for its home tie in Melborune with Jarmila Groth, Jelena Dokic, Anastasia Rodionova and Sophie Ferguson.
The United States will be without its top two players in the Williams sisters against Germany, and France is without its top player, Marion Bartoli, against Spain. But the Slovak Republic and Serbia both will feature their best competitors with Slovaks Daniela Hantuchova and Dominica Cibulkova, and Serbians Ana Ivanovic and Jelena Jankovic deciding to play tie on indoor clay in Bratislava.—Matthew Cronin