The men have the Davis Cup and the women have the Fed Cup! The idea to create a women's event similar to the hugely successful men's tournament first came about in 1919, but the Fed Cup was only first launched in 1963 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the International Tennis Federation. Since then, it has taken off to become a global event featuring 90 nations.
Unlike the Davis Cup, there are just three rounds with World Group first round matches, followed by semi-finals and then the final (3rd - 4th November 2012).
The first round clashes which feature Russia, Spain, Belgium, Serbia, Ukraine, Italy, Germany and defending champions the Czech Republic, get underway straight after the Australian Open, between 4th and 5th February.
The semi-final ties take place in mid-April from the 21st to the 22nd and then there’s a six month gap before the final.
Once again the Czechs will be strong favourites, particularly if Petra Kvitova continues her astonishing rise but the super strong Russian side with an abundance of superstars at their disposal can never been counted out, along with the Italians who have dominated the Fed Cup over the past five years.
