Australia sweats on Cup draw

AUSTRALIA’S Fed Cup prospects will become clearer tonight when their World Group playoff opponents are revealed.

Ranked 13th in the competition, Australia will be pitted against either Belarus (ranked No.3), Switzerland (5), Netherlands (7) or Belgium (9).

Under the championship’s home-and-away format, Alicia Molik’s team would host ties against the Swiss, Dutch and Belgians.

The venue for a clash with Belarus would be decided by lot because the two nations are yet to meet in Fed Cup battle.

Australia reached the playoffs with a 3-2 victory over Ukraine on grass in Canberra.

The International Tennis Federation will stage the draw for the April 21-22 round, which will also feature Australia’s fellow World Group II winners Romania, Italy and Slovakia.

Ashleigh Barty starred in the ACT, winning both her singles matches before partnering Casey Dellacqua in the decisive doubles rubber.

Daria Gavrilova lost both singles outings.

Champions on seven occasions, Australia have not won the Cup since 1974 with their most recent appearance in the final coming in 1993.

Australia’s Davis Cup team will learn its playoff fate in April when the draw is held for the September 14-16 playoffs.

Barty (16) and Nick Kyrgios (15) continue to lead the Australian rankings. Gavrilova (26), Sam Stosur (44) and Ajla Tomljanovic (98) are also top-100 representatives.