Fed Cup 澳大利亞vs.義大利 會師明年Hobart - 澳網 Tennis

Hobart to host Fed Cup

Adam Smith - October 7 , 2010



AN email exchange between tennis golden girl Alicia Molik and the country's
No.1 player Sam Stosur has helped Hobart land next year's Fed Cup tie between
Australia and Italy.

Tasmania will host the event on February 5-6 for the first time. The tie is
likely to feature a rematch of this year's French Open final between Stosur
and Francesca Schiavone.

澳洲陽光女孩Alicia Molik與頭號選手Sam Stosur透過電子郵件，已決定參加
明年在Hobart當地舉行的聯邦盃對戰(澳洲vs.義大利)。

Tasmania州將首次主辦這項賽事，於明年的2/5、2/6。而比賽內容有可能重演
今年法網決賽組合－Samantha Stosur vs. Francesca Schiavone。


Molik, the 2003 Hobart International champion, is a regular visitor to the
state and used the tournament in January this year to re-launch her comeback.

She has publicly declared Hobart as one of her favourite venues and with
Sydney, Adelaide and Brisbane all bidding for the Fed Cup tie, a word to
Stosur and Fed Cup captain David Taylor who have a big say in where ties are
played got the ball rolling.

"She provided a bit of an assistance in getting the Fed Cup here because of
her experience with the place," Tennis Tasmania chief executive and Hobart
tournament director Michael Roberts said yesterday.

"We spoke to her about it [the bid], she sent an email to Sam Stosur and
David Taylor and told them of the improvements and what a great event it is
we are running here."

Ultimately Tennis Australia rewarded the Domain Tennis Centre with the
match-up because of the redevelopments of the facility, which will turn the
soon-to-be-completed 2500-seat venue into one of the best boutique stadiums
in the country.

Molik曾在2003年，奪得Hobart International的冠軍，她也時常造訪此地，
在今年一月份，從此賽事中復出。她曾公開地表示，Hobart站是她最喜歡的賽事之一，
同時間，雪梨、阿德萊德、布里斯本等地，也都渴望爭取聯邦盃主辦權。

最後由Stosur的意見，加上聯邦盃澳洲隊隊長－David Taylor的支持，
讓此次聯邦盃賽會地點塵埃落定。

Tasmania網球運動主要推動者兼Hobart International的指導者－Michael Roberts
昨天表示，"Molik根據她對此地的了解，對促成聯邦盃在此地舉辦一事，很有幫助。"
"我們與她談過其他地方都想爭取這次主辦權，於是她和Sam Stosur與David Taylor
透過郵件，告訴他們這裡設備增進很多，很適合舉辦聯邦盃。"

最後由於當地主要球場(Domain Tennis Centre)積極增建，使座位將擴大到可容納2500
名觀眾，不僅因此奪得舉辦權，同時也擠身澳洲最好的表演場地之一。


Italy, featuring world No. 6 Schiavone and Flavia Pennetta at No. 22, is the
current powerhouse of women's team tennis, having won the Fed Cup last year
and playing in the 2010 final against the United States next month.

The Australian team will be spearheaded by world No.8 Stosur, with Molik,
Jarmila Groth who reached the last 16 at Wimbledon and the French Open this
year and captured her maiden WTA title in China last month Jelena Dokic and
Anastasia Rodionova expected to push claims for inclusion.

The Australian team will be picked during the Australian Open in January.

"This will be the most significant tennis event we have had here," Roberts
said.

"We wouldn't have even been able to bid for this event if it hadn't been for
the investment which has been made in the facility.

The State Government provided $45,000 of the $60,000 bid for the Fed Cup tie.


義大利方面，則聚焦於排名世界第6的Schiavone和第22位的Flavia Pennetta，
兩位都是現今義大利聯邦隊的台柱，去年為國家奪得勝利，將在下個月出戰美國隊。

澳洲隊則將由排名第8的Stosur做先鋒，還有Molik，以及今年在溫網和法網都擠進16
強的選手－Jarmila Groth，她也在上個月奪得生涯首次的WTA賽事冠軍。
此外，Jelena Dokic和Anastasia Rodionova的加入也備受期待。

澳洲隊將會是一月份澳網賽事期間，被精挑細選過的精英。
Roberts說，"這將是我們舉辦過最有意義的一場賽事，如果沒有各方對場地進行設備
改建，我們面對此次地點的競爭，原本是毫無希望的。"

此次賽事競標，州政府也贊助了45000元。




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