Dementieva To Lead Holders Russia In Fed Cup

Dementieva has won tournaments in Auckland and Sydney this year.

In-form Elena Dementieva will lead holders Russia in next month's Fed Cup first-round tie against China, the Russian tennis federation said on Wednesday.

The Olympic champion heads a powerful team that includes world number eight Svetlana Kuznetsova and 18th-ranked Anna Chakvetadze. Russia captain Shamil Tarpishchev also called up Fed Cup debutant Alisa Kleybanova for the Feb. 7-8 tie at Moscow's Olympic arena.

Dementieva has won tournaments in Auckland and Sydney this year and extended her unbeaten run to 15 matches by crushing Spain's Carla Suarez Navarro to reach the Australian Open semi-finals on Wednesday.

Russia, who have won the Fed Cup four times in the last five years, are favourites to beat the Chinese despite missing three top-10 players.

World number three Dinara Safina and seventh-ranked Vera Zvonareva have opted not to play while Maria Sharapova is recovering from a shoulder injury.