5
Saturday
July 2025
11:53 PM IST
News Headlines
Home   | Main News   | Kerala  | National   | International  | Business   | Sports   | Entertainment   | Columns   | Offbeat   | Health   | About Deepika 
Sports News
France out to spoil Australian Fed Cup party
 
Perth, Nov 6 (AFP) France might be on Australian soil as they attempt to win a third Fed Cup tennis crown in Perth this weekend, but they feel right at home and brimming with confidence.

Team captain Julien Benneteau has kept faith with the five women who sealed their semi-final win over Romania, led by Kristina Mladenovic, ranked 40 in the world.

She is backed by Caroline Garcia (45), Alize Cornet (60), Fiona Ferro (63) and Pauline Parmentier (122) as they target a first title since 2003.

As well as an Australian team spearheaded by world number one Ashleigh Barty and veteran Sam Stosur, they will have to deal with a crowd at Perth Arena willing their home country towards a first title since 1974.

But returning to the Australian west coast city has brought back fond memories for Mladenovic and Cornet, who separately led France to Hopman Cup titles before the mixed team event was axed this year for the new ATP Cup.

Mladenovic hopes that bodes well.

"From the first time I stepped on the court yesterday, I had such great memories and great vibes," Mladenovic, who partnered Richard Gasquet to win the Hopman Cup in 2017, told reporters on Wednesday.

"It's definitely an advantage when you know the court and where you've won in the past.

"When you've won a tough competition somewhere it's always a great place for you where you feel confident and you feel like you can repeat the story," she added.

Cornet won the Hopman Cup with Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in 2014. Garcia also represented France at the tournament, in 2016 when Australia won.

Seven-time Fed Cup champions Australia hold a 5-1 record over two-time winners France, although the French triumphed in the most recent tie between the two nations in 2000.

While the odds might be stacked in Australia's favour, Mladenovic said her team had the advantage of playing a Fed Cup final before, in 2016, and that could prove invaluable.

Mladenovic, Garcia and Cornet all featured in that tie, which they agonisingly lost 3-2 to the Czech Republic.

"Even though the last one was at home, I still think it's a big advantage to know how it feels to be up there with all the pressure," Mladenovic said.

"I'm optimistic and positive about this aspect." France, who also won the Fed Cup in 1997, qualified for the final with a thrilling 3-2 win over Romania in Rennes in spite of losing two singles matches to Simona Halep.

Garcia and Parmentier both won in the other singles to set up a deciding doubles match in which Garcia and Mladenovic beat Halep and Monica Niculescu.

Benneteau has yet to indicate who will play in Perth on Saturday and Sunday.


KL Rahul out, Ishan Kishan in for WTC final
Mumbai City FC on course to becoming ISL ‘Invincibles’
Mumbai City FC win 4-0 as Bengaluru FC’s misery deepens
Australia thrash undermanned England in first ODI
Pollard announces IPL retirement, appointed as MI's batting coach
Sharath Kamal to receive Khel Ratna on November 30
England’s Sam Curran named ICC Player of the Tournament
Kerala Blasters beat FC Goa 3-1 in ISL
Pakistan ready for Kiwi challenge in semis after late surge
Kohli named ICC Player of the month
SL cricketer Danushka Gunathilaka arrested in Sydney for alleged sexual assault, faces 'stern' action
Suryakumar pips Rizwan to claim top spot in T20 rankings
India aim to weed out Shakib's statement by defeating Bangladesh
Pandya, Dhawan to lead in New Zealand; BCCI names three captains for four series
Killer Miller' shines as SA pull off exciting win over India
Rain ruins proceedings as contest between Australia & England called off
Ireland move into Super 12s,WI crash out of T20 WC
PCB condemns BCCI's decision, seeks urgent ACC meeting
Pat Cummins named Australia's ODI captain
Ballon d'Or 2022: Karim Benzema, Alexia Putellas clinch top honours
KERALA NEWS
Top police official held in gang rape case
 Kozhikode: Police on Sunday arrested a Circle Inspector (station house officer) attached in Beypore  
Rain likely to occur many places in Kerala
Two killed as car plunged into well
Kerala CM greet Oommen Chandy on his 79th birthday
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
64 arrested in London on Charles III coronation day
 London: At least 64 people were arrested in UK's capital during the coronation of Charles III on May
Bangladesh police arrest six persons for selling fraud US visa stamps
Erdogan announces extension of grain deal by 120 days
Musk hints at new chief for Twitter
NATIONAL NEWS
Quo Vadis, Manipur?
 Imphal - Hardly any state in India has undergone in the last decade the chaos, lawlessness and suffe
27-year-old Hyderabad woman among victims of Texas mall shooting
One held in Swati Maliwal case: Delhi Police
PM to deliver opening address at 'No Money for Terror' event
Untitled Page
Rashtra Deepika LTD
Copyright @ 2021 , Rashtra Deepika Ltd.