Fed Cup by BNP Paribas - Russian Team Press Conference
A moment of hesitation, a few looks at the printed cards designating the seating arrangement and finally sitting down from left to right are: Vitalia Diatchenko, Maria Sharapova, team captain Anastasia Myskina, Svetlana Kuznetsova and Anastasia Pavylutchenkova.
- This is the best team I could possibly have organized. Maria and Sveta want to play in the Olympics and they need to play Fed Cup matches in order to qualify (laugh)… but seriously, these are the best players for this match – assured Myskina.
Swapping our hot Melbourne for cold Cracow is like changing planets but as Maria said (who posses in fur on a street in Cracow on her social media) that’s just how it is with tennis – you just have to adjust and keep warm.
Patience. The heat will come on Saturday when 15 thousand polish fans start cheering at the Cracow Arena. The venue is sold out.
– I know what to expect. I heard about Polish fans from our volleyball team, who played here – and they were impressed enough to ask for security 24/7 - joked Pavylutchenkova. – We are ready for a tough match – stated the Russians.
This is a good attitude to have as it is widely known that in these types of matches the hosts are assisted not only by the fans but by the walls and in this case floors as well. - The court is slow, which is better for the Poles, but that is how it is and I am not surprised – admitted Sharapova after her first practice session in the Cracow Arena.
Both teams will be practicing on Thursday and the official draw will take place on Friday, where we will find out who will walk onto the court first.