Last week we had a Davis Cup first round with three of the Big 4 men missing. This week it’s the women’s version of a ruling class, Victoria Azarenka, Maria Sharapova, and Serena Williams, who will be absent from the first round of Fed Cup. It didn’t end up mattering much with the men, as the opening weekend of Davis Cup delivered its usual share of drama and heroics. Can we expect fireworks from the women?
Below is a quick look ahead at the four World Group ties that will be held Saturday and Sunday (you can find rosters and match-ups and all other relevant information at the Fed Cup website). Not all of these ties look competitive on paper, but you never know what's going to happen when you throw tennis players onto a team.