Sharapova set to make debut in April

Maria Sharapova will make her long-awaited Fed Cup debut for Russia against Spain in their World Group first-round tie in April, Russia's tennis chief said this week. The US Open champion will be joined by Nadia Petrova, Svetlana Kuznetsova and Elena...

Maria Sharapova will make her long-awaited Fed Cup debut for Russia against Spain in their World Group first-round tie in April, Russia's tennis chief said this week.

The US Open champion will be joined by Nadia Petrova, Svetlana Kuznetsova and Elena Dementieva, forming a powerful Russian line-up for the two-day tie in Moscow on April 21-22.

"Yes, all four of our girls have agreed to play against Spain," president of the Russian tennis federation Shamil Tarpishchev, who is also their Fed Cup captain, told Reuters.

"Of course, anything can happen between now and next April but barring any injuries, they all will be in the team."

There have always been doubts in the Russian media over whether Sharapova would ever play for her country, but the Florida-based teenager made herself available for Russia's Fed Cup team last month.

Russia will try to regain the Fed Cup title they won in 2004 and 2005. This year they lost to Belgium in the quarter-finals.

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