Aussies begin Fed Cup mission
Aussies begin Fed Cup mission 
Former Australian Captain January 30, 2008
AUSTRALIA will begin their two-year mission to return to the top tier of Fed Cup tennis with a three-rubber clash against New Zealand in Bangkok.
Australia have been drawn against the Kiwis, India and Indonesia in their Asia/Oceania zone group, and will need to top the pool to advance to the final of the four-day competition where a place in the World Group II play-offs in April will be at stake.
Stuck in the third tier of the women’s competition, Australia will again be without No.1 player Sam Stosur, with Casey Dellacqua and Alicia Molik set to spearhead the team’s campaign in Bangkok.
“There’s really a lot on the line,” Australia coach David Taylor said from the draw in Bangkok.
“It will take two years to get back into the World Group, so if we don’t get through this you’re sort of just treading water for another year, so it does mean a lot to all the girls.”
Taylor said India, led by world No.29 Sania Mirza, were Australia’s major threat in the group.
“Definitely in our group India are the real danger,” Taylor said.
“They have the highest-ranked player in our tie in Sania Mirza, and she’s just beaten Alicia in the Hopman Cup in three sets, but I think we have more depth in our team and we also have a specialist doubles player in Rennae Stubbs, which is a luxury other teams do not have.”
Dellacqua and Molik are likely to play the singles, with Dellacqua expected to back up for the doubles with Stubbs.
Promising youngster Jessica Moore is also in the team after replacingrecently retired Nicole Pratt.
With Stosur still recovering from viral meningitis, Dellacqua will go into the tie as Australia’s top-ranked player at No.57 with former No.8 Molik now the No.68.
“We’re a little bit unfortunate this is the second time in a row we’ve been without our No.1 player Sam Stosur, who hasn’t played since she became a top 30 player, so it’s a bit of a test for our team,” Taylor said.
“But having Casey come through couldn’t have come at a better time for us.”
AAP