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Slovakia vs Australia doubles: Fed Cup preview

7th February, 2016
Start time: around 2am (AEDT)
Venue: Bratislava, Slovakia
Court: Hardcourt (indoor)
TV: Live Seven Network
Casey Dellacqua has retired from professional tennis. (AFP PHOTO / TIMOTHY A. CLARY).
Expert
7th February, 2016
0

If the first round tie between Slovakia and Australia is still alive for the fifth rubber, all eyes will turn to doubles as Jana Cepelova and Daniela Hantuchova take on Samantha Stosur and Casey Dellcaqua.

While Cepelova and Hantuchova have never played doubles together, Stosur and Dellacqua are no strangers to playing on the same team. In fact, since 2012 they have played 10 matches in doubles with each other, and while they have only won four of those 10 have always played solidly.

Having the advantage of playing before should not be underrated coming into this match. In saying that, their last doubles match was back in early 2015 at Dubai. After defeating Jarmila Wolfe and Sabine Lisicki during the first round, they fell in the second round to Julia Georges and Anna Lena Groenefeld.

The way the court has been playing will make things interesting to play doubles on. The bounce has been inconsistent, and the court has been generally slow, which could tend to make it a more netplay based game. If both teams are up there, trying to lob and volley their way to victory, then it should suit the style of Dellacqua, and therefore Stosur.

Of course, this will be the first game back from injury for Dellacqua, who was forced to sit out all of the Australian summer of Tennis, including the first grand slam of the year. Stosur, Hantuchova and Cepelova meanwhile, all had early first round exits at the Open, and it would be difficult to say that any of the players are in good form.

Still, Stosur showed in the second rubber last night she has been working hard on her game, and adjusted to the strange court surface well.

It must be noted that Stosur and Cepelova are both playing singled before the doubles contest tonight, and it could come down to who recovers better and has the energy to play a strong doubles match.

At the same time, it could well be over one way or another before the doubles, turning this into a match that won’t matter for anything.

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Prediction
Dellacqua is one of the better doubles players in the world, team that up with the experience of Stosur and it is hard to go past them. Hantuchova is a strong player, but it is doubtful that Cepelova will be able to stand up to the test.

Australia in three sets.

Follow Scott on Twitter @sk_pryde

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