Germany and Switzerland go head-to-head for the sixth time in Fed Cup play this weekend. The Germans are 4-1 in the previous five meetings with the last coming in 2009.
Team Germany
Germany has had one of the strongest teams for years with experienced and talented players such as 2016 Australian Open champion Angelique Kerber, Andrea Petkovic, Sabine Lisicki and Julia Goerges who constitute the core of the team. This year, Fed Cup captain Barbara Rittner did not change her team much as she selected Kerber, Petkovic, Annika Beck and Anna-Lena Groenefeld to play the first tie. Groenefeld is replacing an injured Julia Goerges
Team Switzerland
Switzerland undertook its road back to the top thanks to newcomers such as Belinda Bencic and Timea Bacsinszky along with former world number one Martina Hingis. Hingis has been tearing up the doubles scene alongside partner Sania Mirza for the better part of the last 12 months. The Swiss team will play for the first time in the World Group since 2004. That came at a time when Patty Schnyder was still playing at a great level. Swiss Fed Cup captain Heinz Guenthardt selected Bencic, 2015 French Open semifinalist Bacsinszky, Viktorija Golubic and Hingis to play the first round tie.
What to Expect?
It will be a tight encounter. The four players who will play the singles rubbers are all ranked inside the top 25. That should make every match hard to win. Angelique Kerber will be the favorite in her two matches, but it should be pointed out that she has never beaten Bencic or Bacsinszky in the past; Bencic defeated her twice on American hard courts in 2014 and in 2015, while Bacsinszky won their only encounter back in 2009. Kerber will have to snatch a first win over these two players to bring points to Germany.
Petkovic should also play against both Bencic and Bacsinszky. The German has never faced Bencic before and lost the only match she played against Bacsinszky. That came in a tight three setter back in 2008. It is hard to guess whether she will bring points to her country or not, but the support of the local crowd will definitely help her this weekend.
Even though Petkovic is an experienced player, it is not entirely certain that she will play two singles rubbers. An interesting change would be to replace Petkovic with Annika Beck. Beck crushed Timea Bacsinszky in the second round of the Australian Open. She knows how to beat her and is definitely capable of doing it again.
The doubles rubber will be as indecisive as all the other matches. On one hand, Germany has a doubles specialist in Groenefeld, but Switzerland counters that with Hingis. The interesting thing is that they will both play with a partner that they are not used to play with. Groenefeld has been playing with Coco Vandeweghe on tour and Hingis is on a 36 winning streak with Mirza. The doubles match will thus be very interesting to watch.
Prediction
Germany should get the win. From the German side, Angelique Kerber has just won the Australian Open and Petkovic loves to play in Fed Cup. Both should be full of confidence. From the Swiss side, even if Belinda Bencic is in a great shape, Bacsinszky didn't have the best possible start to the season. She lost early in all the tournaments that she entered. It is hard to think that she can win a match this weekend.