World number 10 Vera Zvonareva was Wednesday named in Russia’s Fed Cup team for the World Group semi-final against Serbia on April 21-22. Zvonareva has had a season punctuated by injury and illnees, but Russia’s captain Shamil Tarpishchev said: “Zvonareva wants to play, she’s our team member. “She will practice here together with the other girls. We can substitute one player with another 24 hours before the match starts.
“I count on her and believe Vera (Zvonareva) will manage to avoid injuries and will play against Serbia.” Maria Kirilenko, ranked 21st in the world, and two-time Grand Slam champion Svetlana Kuznetsova (25) will be joined by Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (22) and Elena Vesnina (78) as the four other squad members for the last-four clash on the red clay courts of Moscow’s Megasport arena.
The other semi-final sees defending champions the Czech Republic host Italy in Ostrava on the same weekend.
