US, Russia dumped out of Fed Cup
The United States, the Fed Cup favourites, were dumped out in the first round by Austria on Sunday in the climax of a controversial weekend which saw their number one player Jennifer Capriati thrown off the team.
The reigning Australian and French Open champion was ditched by captain Billie Jean King on Friday for flouting U.S. team rules by refusing to cancel a private practice session with father and coach Stefano.
King's 'zero-tolerance' approach meant the U.S. had to forfeit Capriati's match on Saturday and, when Monica Seles was stunned by Barbara Schwartz on the opening day, the favourites were 2-0 down and facing an uphill battle in Charlotte.
Schwartz continued her heroics on Sunday, coming back from a set down to beat Capriati's replacement Meghann Shaughnessy 4-6, 7-6, 9-7 and complete one of the biggest shocks in Fed Cup history.
While the U.S. contemplate what went wrong, the Austrians will next meet Croatia after they won the deciding doubles in Bol to defeat the Czech Republic 3-2.
Meanwhile champions Belgium eased into the quarter-finals by recording a comfortable 3-1 victory over Australia. Last year's beaten finalists Russia, however, were shocked by Germany.
Evergreen Barbara Rittner inspired the Germans to a 3-2 victory -- the first time they have beaten Russia in the Fed Cup.
The 29-year-old won both her singles matches before teaming up with Marlene Weingaertner for a 7-6, 6-2 win over Elena Dementieva and Elena Likhovtseva in Sunday's decisive doubles.
"I can't believe we have won this thing," Rittner beamed after her remarkable performances on the Dresden clay.
BEST PERFORMANCE
"This is my best performance in Fed Cup by a long way."
Germany will face Spain in the last eight after they earlier ousted Hungary.
In Brussels, Wimbledon runner-up Justine Henin clinched the decisive win for Belgium, beating Australia's Alicia Molik 6-2 6-1 to give the hosts a winning 3-1 lead at the Royal Leopold Club.
The doubles, which would have had no effect on the result, was abandoned due to rain.
Nicole Pratt had earlier given Australia a glimmer of hope, beating Els Callens -- a replacement for the injured Kim Clijsters -- 6-2 6-4.
Belgium will face Italy in the last eight after the Italians thrashed Sweden 5-0 in Milan.
Adriana Serra Zanetti beat Asa Carlsson-Svensson 6-3 7-6 and Roberta Vinci beat Sofia Arvidsson 6-3 6-2 before teaming up with Maria Elena Camerin to beat Arvidsson and Maria Wolfbrandt 1-6 6-0 6-4 to complete the whitewash.
Comfortable singles victories for Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario and Magui Serna set Spain on their way to a 4-1 victory over Hungary in Almeria.
Sanchez-Vicario brushed aside Hungary's Zsofia Gubacsi 6-0 6-2 in the opening match and Serna assured Spain of a place in the quarter-finals in July after she went on to beat Hungarian number two Rita Kuti Kis 6-3 6-1.
EXTENDED RECORD
The 30-year-old Sanchez-Vicario then extended her record number of wins in Fed Cup matches to 69 as she and partner Virginia Ruano mopped up the final doubles with a 7-5 6-2 win over Gubacsi and Aniko Kapros.
Three-times French Open champion Sanchez-Vicario gave Spain the perfect start to the day with a straightforward victory before Serna, stepping in for Angeles Montolio who injured her foot in Saturday's defeat to Gubacsi, clinched victory.
Slovakia made hard work of their match against a weakened Switzerland, blowing a 2-0 lead before finally creeping into the quarters 3-2 with a doubles victory.
The Swiss, without Martina Hingis, mounted a spirited comeback as Patty Schnyder beat Daniela Hantuchova 6-3 6-3 and Myriam Casanova edged Henrieta Nagyova 3-6 6-3 6-1 to level the match.
But Hantuchova and Janette Husarova regrouped and teamed up to beat Schnyder and Casanova 6-0 6-7 6-3.
The Slovak pair squandered a 6-0 5-2 lead in the doubles, but recovered to win in three sets and end hopes of a Swiss revival.
The Slovaks will next face France after Guy Forget's team beat Argentina 3-2 in Buenos Aires.
Coming into the second day level at 1-1, France wrapped up both singles victories to take a winning 3-1 lead.
Amelie Mauresmo nosed the visitors in front with a no-nonsense 6-4 6-3 victory over Paola Suarez before Nathalie Dechy, in for the substituted Testud, sealed victory beating Mariana Diaz-Oliva 6-2 6-3.
