Interestingly, Maria Sharapova practiced with Russia's Fed Cup team at the Luzhniki Arena in Moscow on Wednesday, even though she won’t play in the September 15-16 final when her country takes on defending champion Italy.

Sharapova's appearance Wednesday was seen as an attempt to improve frosty relations with the team. The 20-year-old still hasn’t played for Russia in the Fed Cup. Citing injuries, she has withdrawn from the Fed Cup on two occasions in 2007, and was heavily criticized for that. (photo via Fed Cup)

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The tennis venue for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games is under construction, and it has been announced that a DecoTurf surface will be used. DecoTurf is the same hardcourt surface used at the US Open.

The Olympic tennis tournament takes place from August 10-17 next year. The US Open, the year's final Grand Slam event, starts on August 25. (via Sporting Life)

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Here’s a list of Fed Cup champions since the competition began in 1963. Country with most Fed Cup titles is the United States with seventeen, out of which seven were consecutive. Australia takes the second place with seven titles, while Spain and Czechoslovakia follow with five titles.

2007 Russia beat Italy 4-0
2006 Italy beat Belgium 3-2
2005 Russia beat France 3-2
2004 Russia beat France 3-2
2003 France beat U.S. 4-1
2002 Slovakia beat Spain 3-1
2001 Belgium beat Russia 2-1
2000 U.S. beat Spain 5-0 Read more »

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Russia are strongly favored to capture a third Fed Cup title in four years when they take on last year's surprise winners Italy in the Moscow final this weekend. Russian team have US Open 2007 finalist and semifinalist – world number two Svetlana Kuznetsova and world number five Anna Chakvetadze will both play for their country. Italian team, on the other hand, has no player ranked in the world's top 20.

However, Russia captain Shamil Tarpishchev said that his players shouldn’t relax: "It looks easy, but it's not. We have to be careful and play smart, otherwise Italy could take advantage of our mistakes."

Just to mention that the Russians enjoy a 3-0 lead over Italy in head-to-head meetings, including a comfortable 4-1 victory in their last clash two years ago.

Russian team: Svetlana Kuznetsova, Anna Chakvetadze, Nadia Petrova, Elena Vesnina
Captain: Shamil Tarpishchev

Italian team: Francesca Schiavone, Mara Santangelo, Roberta Vinci, Flavia Pennetta
Captain: Corrado Barazzutti

(source: Reuters)

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World number one Justine Henin won’t play at the next week’s China Open in Beijing because of breathing problems she has been suffering for a few months, which were diagnosed as chronic asthma.

These health problems haven’t prevented the 25-year-old Belgian from winning the US Open 2007, but her doctor has advised her to take a short break now. If everything goes as planned, Henin will play at three more tournaments this season: in Filderstadt, Zurich and Madrid. (source: Justine Henin's website)

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