PARIS -- This time, Amelie Mauresmo and Mary Pierce are
teammates and their goal is a Fed Cup title for France.
Last week, they met in the U.S. Open quarterfinals. Pierce won
6-4, 6-1 and went on to lose a lopsided final to Kim Clijsters.
France plays defending champion Russia in the Fed Cup final this
weekend. The French are aiming for their third Fed Cup title and
looking to avenge November's 3-2 loss to Russia in Moscow.
"We have been very consistent at the highest possible level and
we are in the final for the third consecutive year," Mauresmo
said. "France is a great tennis nation. We all invested a lot in
this competition."
Neither Pierce nor Mauresmo played in the 2004 final. France is
expected to be better under new coach Georges Goven when singles
begins Saturday at Roland Garros.
"Russia has a great crop of high-level players," Mauresmo
said. "Each one of them takes Fed Cup extremely seriously, so we
will have to play above ourselves."
Russia captain Shamil Tarpischev will be without top-ranked
Maria Sharapova, but the team still boasts 2004 French Open
champion Anastasia Myskina and runner-up Elena Dementieva.
In last year's Fed Cup final, Myskina downed Tatiana Golovin and
Nathalie Dechy and captured the decisive doubles with Vera
Zvonareva.
This will be the third straight year France and Russia have met
and the eighth time overall in the Fed Cup, dating to 1985. Russia
leads 4-3.
Pierce worked out Wednesday, showing no ill effects from a right
thigh injury sustained at the U.S. Open -- where she took a
contentious 12-minute injury timeout against Dementieva in the
semifinals.
"I love this court," Pierce said, referring to the Philippe
Chatrier center court. "I have so many happy memories: my victory,
my two finals, the support from the fans."
In 2000, she won the French Open against Conchita Martinez and
was runner-up to Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario in 1994 and this year to
Justine Henin-Hardenne.
Mauresmo is undefeated in the Fed Cup since losing to Slovakia's
Daniela Hantuchova in 2002 and is 24-5 overall dating to 1998.
Pierce made her debut in 1990 but dropped out between 1997 and 2003
and is 17-12.
Russia downed Italy and United States by 4-1 scores; France beat
Austria 4-1 and Spain 3-1 en route to the final.
France's team also contains Dechy and Golovin while teenagers
Dinara Safina and Vera Douchevina complete Russia's lineup.
Russia has 13 women in the top 50 to six for France. Mauresmo is
ranked No. 4 and Pierce is No. 6. Dechy is No. 15 and Golovin No.
24. For Russia, Dementieva is No. 8, with Myskina at No. 13, Safina
at No. 22 and Douchevina at No. 35.