Australia’s World Group semi-final clash against Belarus in the Fed Cup will be broadcast LIVE this weekend on 9GEM
The crucial semi-final will see Ashleigh Barty (Qld) lead Daria Gavrilova (Vic) and fellow Queenslanders Samantha Stosur and Priscilla Hon in the battle at Brisbane’s Pat Rafter Arena.
Ash Barty enters the tie as the top ranked player in both singles and doubles from both teams, after recently cracking the world’s Top 10. Barty’s impressive 14-2 Fed Cup win-loss record will prove pivotal to Australia’s hopes of winning through to the Fed Cup final for the first time since 1993.
Sam Stosur, currently ranked world No. 17 in doubles, has amassed the most WTA doubles points of any player for 2019 on the back of winning the Australian Open women’s doubles title and reaching the doubles final in Miami. Stosur’s experience is a huge asset to the team, and she also holds the record for the most Australia Fed Cup singles wins.
World No. 58 Gavrilova comes in with recent wins over world No. 37 Dayana Yastremska (UKR) and world No. 31 Mihaela Buzarnescu (ROU). In the last tie against the USA she stretched Australian Open semi-finalist Danielle Collins to three sets and will be looking to build on her Fed Cup form.
Priscilla Hon has hit a career high ranking of No.130 this week and is excited to be part of the team after triumphing in the USA in a live fifth-rubber alongside Ash Barty. Recently she qualified for Indian Wells after defeating two top 100 opponents.
The Belarus team is feature’s a strong line-up of top players, including world No. 10 Aryna Sabalenka, two-time Grand Slam champion Victoria Azarenka and Brisbane International 2018 finalist, world No.35 Aliaksandra Sasnovich.
