2018 Fed Cup
# 2018 Fed Cup

The 2018 Fed Cup was the 56th edition of the most important tournament between national teams in women's tennis. The 2018 Fed Cup was expected to feature some structural changes, including a 16-team World Group and the introduction of a Final Four event at a neutral, predetermined location. However, the ITF announced shortly before their annual meeting that they were tabling a vote on the changes for at least one year.

In one of the biggest shocks in the tournament history, Russia was demoted to the Zonal Groups for the first time in two decades, after consecutive losses to Slovakia and Latvia.

The final took place on 10–11 November and was won by the Czech Republic.

## World Group

Participating teams :

| Belarus | Belgium | Czech Republic | France |
| - | - | - | - |
| Germany | Netherlands | Switzerland | United States |

### Seeds

* Belarus (quarterfinals)
* United States (final)
* Czech Republic (champions)
* France (semifinals)

### Draw

| Quarterfinals 10–11 February | Quarterfinals 10–11 February | Quarterfinals 10–11 February | Semifinals 21–22 April | Semifinals 21–22 April | Semifinals 21–22 April | Final 10–11 November | Final 10–11 November | Final 10–11 November |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Minsk, Belarus (hard, indoor) | Minsk, Belarus (hard, indoor) | Minsk, Belarus (hard, indoor) | | | | | | |
| 1 | Belarus | 2 | | | | | | |
| 1 | Belarus | 2 | Stuttgart, Germany (clay, indoor) | Stuttgart, Germany (clay, indoor) | Stuttgart, Germany (clay, indoor) | | | |
| | Germany | 3 | Stuttgart, Germany (clay, indoor) | Stuttgart, Germany (clay, indoor) | Stuttgart, Germany (clay, indoor) | | | |
| | Germany | 3 | | Germany | 1 | | | |
| Prague, Czech Republic (hard, indoor) | Prague, Czech Republic (hard, indoor) | Prague, Czech Republic (hard, indoor) | | Germany | 1 | | | |
| Prague, Czech Republic (hard, indoor) | Prague, Czech Republic (hard, indoor) | Prague, Czech Republic (hard, indoor) | 3 | Czech Republic | 4 | | | |
| 3 | Czech Republic | 3 | 3 | Czech Republic | 4 | | | |
| 3 | Czech Republic | 3 | | | | Prague, Czech Republic (hard, indoor) | Prague, Czech Republic (hard, indoor) | Prague, Czech Republic (hard, indoor) |
| | Switzerland | 1 | | | | Prague, Czech Republic (hard, indoor) | Prague, Czech Republic (hard, indoor) | Prague, Czech Republic (hard, indoor) |
| | Switzerland | 1 | | | | 3 | Czech Republic | 3 |
| La Roche-sur-Yon, France (hard, indoor) | La Roche-sur-Yon, France (hard, indoor) | La Roche-sur-Yon, France (hard, indoor) | | | | 3 | Czech Republic | 3 |
| La Roche-sur-Yon, France (hard, indoor) | La Roche-sur-Yon, France (hard, indoor) | La Roche-sur-Yon, France (hard, indoor) | | | | 2 | United States | 0 |
| | Belgium | 2 | | | | 2 | United States | 0 |
| | Belgium | 2 | Aix-en-Provence, France (clay, indoor) | Aix-en-Provence, France (clay, indoor) | Aix-en-Provence, France (clay, indoor) | | | |
| 4 | France | 3 | Aix-en-Provence, France (clay, indoor) | Aix-en-Provence, France (clay, indoor) | Aix-en-Provence, France (clay, indoor) | | | |
| 4 | France | 3 | 4 | France | 2 | | | |
| Asheville, United States (hard, indoor) | Asheville, United States (hard, indoor) | Asheville, United States (hard, indoor) | 4 | France | 2 | | | |
| Asheville, United States (hard, indoor) | Asheville, United States (hard, indoor) | Asheville, United States (hard, indoor) | 2 | United States | 3 | | | |
| | Netherlands | 1 | 2 | United States | 3 | | | |
| 2 | United States | 3 | | | | | | |

## World Group play-offs

The four losing teams in the World Group first round ties and four winners of the World Group II ties will compete in the World Group play-offs for spots in the 2019 World Group.

Participating teams :

| Australia | Belarus | Belgium | Italy |
| - | - | - | - |
| Netherlands | Romania | Slovakia | Switzerland |

### Seeds

* Belarus
* Switzerland
* Netherlands
* Belgium

| Venue | Surface | Home team | Score | Visiting team |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Minsk, Belarus | Hard (i) | Belarus | 3–2 | Slovakia |
| Cluj-Napoca, Romania | Clay (i) | Romania | 3–1 | Switzerland |
| Wollongong, Australia | Hard (i) | Australia | 4–1 | Netherlands |
| Genoa, Italy | Clay | Italy | 0–4 | Belgium |

## World Group II

Participating teams :

| Australia | Canada | Italy | Romania |
| - | - | - | - |
| Russia | Slovakia | Spain | Ukraine |

### Seeds

* Russia
* Italy
* Ukraine
* Romania

| Venue | Surface | Home team | Score | Visiting team |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Bratislava, Slovakia | Hard (i) | Slovakia | 4–1 | Russia |
| Canberra, Australia | Grass | Australia | 3–2 | Ukraine |
| Cluj-Napoca, Romania | Hard (i) | Romania | 3–1 | Canada |
| Chieti, Italy | Clay (i) | Italy | 3–2 | Spain |

## World Group II play-offs

The four losing teams in the World Group II ties and four winners of the zonal Groups I are scheduled to compete in the World Group II play-offs for spots in the 2019 World Group II.

Participating teams :

| Canada | Great Britain | Japan | Latvia |
| - | - | - | - |
| Paraguay | Russia | Spain | Ukraine |

### Seeds

* Russia
* Spain
* Ukraine
* Great Britain

| Venue | Surface | Home team | Score | Visiting team |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia | Clay (i) | Russia | 2–3 | Latvia |
| Cartagena, Spain | Clay | Spain | 3–1 | Paraguay |
| Montreal, Canada | Hard (i) | Canada | 3–2 | Ukraine |
| Miki, Japan | Hard (i) | Japan | 3–2 | Great Britain |

## Americas Zone

### Group I

Location: Club Internacional de Tenis, Asunción, Paraguay (clay)

Dates: 7–10 February

**Play-offs**

* Paraguay was promoted to the 2018 Fed Cup World Group II play-offs.
* Venezuela and Guatemala were relegated to Americas Zone Group II in 2019.

### Group II

Venue 1: Club Deportivo La Asunción, Metepec, Mexico (hard) Venue 2: Centro Nacional de Tenis de la FET, Guayaquil, Ecuador (clay)

Dates: 20–23 June and 18–21 July

**Play-offs**

* Mexico and Ecuador were promoted to Americas Zone Group I in 2019.

## Asia/Oceania Zone

### Group I

Venue: R.K. Khanna Tennis Complex, New Delhi, India (hard)

Dates: 7–10 February

**Play-offs**

* Japan was promoted to the 2018 Fed Cup World Group II play-offs.
* Chinese Taipei and Hong Kong were relegated to Asia/Oceania Zone Group II in 2019.

### Group II

Venue: Bahrain Polytechnic, Isa Town, Bahrain (hard)

Dates: 6–10 February

**Play-offs**

* Indonesia and Pacific Oceania were promoted to Asia/Oceania Zone Group I in 2019.

## Europe/Africa Zone

### Group I

Venue: Tallink Tennis Centre, Tallinn, Estonia (indoor hard)

Dates: 7–10 February

**Play-offs**

* Great Britain and Latvia were promoted to the 2018 Fed Cup World Group II play-offs.
* Austria and Portugal were relegated to Europe/Africa Zone Group II in 2019.

### Group II

Venue: Tatoi Club, Athens, Greece (clay)

Dates: 18–21 April

**Play-offs**

* Greece and Denmark were promoted to Europe/Africa Zone Group I in 2019.
* Egypt and Norway were relegated to Europe/Africa Zone Group III in 2019.

### Group III

Venue 1: Cité Nationale Sportive, Tunis, Tunisia (hard) Venue 2: Ulcinj Bellevue, Ulcinj, Montenegro (clay)

Dates: 16–21 April

**Play-offs**

* Tunisia and South Africa were promoted to Europe/Africa Zone Group II in 2019.
