Fed Cup runners-up Australia have been drawn against Belgium and Belarus in the group stage of the 2020 Fed Cup Finals to be played in Budapest from April 14-19.
Twelve nations will compete in four groups in the first version of the revamped women’s team competition which has followed the men’s Davis Cup in moving to a one-week multi-nation showdown in one city.
The draw was made at a glittering ceremony at the Museum of Fine Arts in the Hungarian capital on Tuesday, with Alicia Molik’s Australian team the seeded country from Pool B as last year’s beaten finalists.
Australia’s bid to win the prestigious inter-nation event ended in a heartbreaking 3-2 defeat to France in Perth in November but ensured they would automatically qualify for the year’s finals.
Australia beat Pool B opponents Belarus, ranked fifth in the world, 3-2 in a thrilling Fed Cup semi-final in Brisbane last April.
Belarus reached the Fed Cup final in 2017 and their star player Aryna Sabalenka is ranked 13th in the world.
Belgium, who are ranked 12th, won the tournament for the only time in their history in 2001.
Elise Mertens (19th in WTA rankings) will be expected to lead their charge in Budapest.
Holders France have been drawn into Pool A with Russia and Hungary while 18-times Fed Cup champions United States will face Spain and Slovakia in Group C. Group D will feature wildcards the Czech Republic, Germany and Switzerland.
The winners of Group A will face the winners of Group C, with the Group D winners taking on whoever tops Australia’s pool.
The main change for the revamped set-up was the formation of a new World Group, with countries fighting it out at one location and in one week – this year in Budapest.
Fed Cup Finals draw:
Group A France, Hungary, Russia
Group B Australia, Belgium, Belarus
Group C United States, Slovakia, Spain
Group D Czech Rep, Germany, Switzerland
Earlier on Tuesday, the draw to see who makes next year’s Fed Cup qualifiers was made in London.
This play-off draw includes those nations who lost in their qualifying matches at the weekend. The play-off winners will get the chance to qualify for the 2021 Finals.
Plays-off draw (to be played home and away):
Poland v Brazil Mexico v Great Britain Serbia v Canada Latvia v Asia/Oceania Nation TBC Japan v Ukraine Romania v Italy Argentina v Kazakhstan Netherlands v Asia/Oceania Nation TBC.
