Sharapova makes rare Fed Cup appearance

Maria Sharapova hopes her first Fed Cup outing in three years will help erase the misery of her latest Grand Slam blow-out.

The three-time major winner, and former world number one who has struggled to rediscover her best form since a 2008 shoulder injury, suffered a tame fourth round defeat at the Australian Open.

Her straight sets defeat to Germany’s Andrea Petkovic in the heat of Melbourne has now given way to the chilly streets of Moscow where Russia open their 2011 Fed Cup World Group campaign against France today.

“Cold, cold, cold,” wrote Sharapova on her Facebook page.

“Just spent the last week in Munich training and now I am off to Moscow for Fed Cup. I am looking forward to getting on the court and competing, did not like that feeling I had walking off the court last time I played.”

Sharapova, who will share singles duties with Svetlana Kuz-netsova, is making her first Fed Cup appearance since 2008.

France have been hit by the absence of their top two, Marion Bartoli and Aravane Rezai, leaving Alize Cornet as the team’s leading player.

Four-time champions Russia have won the most recent two ties between the nations, but France triumphed on their last visit to Moscow’s Olympic Stadium in 2003.

Elsewhere, Australia, with a challenge spearheaded by world number five Samantha Stosur, aim to celebrate their return to the World Group after a six-year absence, by stunning champions Italy.

But Stosur and team-mates Jarmila Groth, Anastasia Rodionova and Rennae Stubbs, will have their work cut out against an Italian team who have won the title three times in the last five years.

Italy, with French Open champion Francesca Schiavone linking up again in singles with the world number 16 Flavia Pennetta, have won seven of their last eight away ties.

That record included the 2010 final against the USA in San Diego.

World Group One: Australia vs Italy; Russia vs France; Slovakia vs Czech Republic; Belgium vs USA.