Russian Fed Cup captain Shamil Tarpishchev says that Maria Sharapova, Svetlana Kuznetsova, Dinara Safina and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova will be Russia's line-up for its first-round tie against France in Moscow on Feb. 5-6.
"Sharapova has agreed to play the first round," said Tarpishchev.
However, a source in the Sharapova camp told TENNIS.com that she’s only “very likely” to play. Sharapova must make herself available to play Fed Cup at least once next year if she wants to play the 2012 Olympics, and could play in another round. She’s competed in Fed Cup once, in 2008, against Israel after winning the Australian Open.—Matthew Cronin