Russia’s tennis boss Shamil Tarpischev has announced his team  for the upcoming Fed Cup final tie against Spain. Though traditionally Russia has the best selection pool when it comes to Fed Cup, it seems Russia’s captain had to be satisfied with a second-string team. World number 4 Svetlana Kuznetsova will lead the team comprised of world number 10 and Beijing bronze medalist Vera Zvonareva, 56th-ranked Ekaterina Makarova and number 71 Elena Vesnina.

Elena Dementieva, and Dinara Safina are somewhat exhausted after their recent sucesses in Olympics and US Open, Anna Chakvetadze can’t find her form after the horrific robbery attack, and Maria Sharapova is out with a shoulder injury.

“This is the best team we could assemble at the moment. Dementieva and Safina have a real chance to become world number one so we have to give them a break,” Tarpischev said.

As a person who calls Luxembourg my current home, I am particularly thrilled about this one. Qualifier Gilles Muller from Luxembourg has put his tiny country on the tennis map. Muller is the first player from Luxembourg to reach the last eight of a grand slam when he stunned number 5 seed Russian Nikolay Davydenko 6-4, 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (10) at the U.S. Open. New York Times covers the story. Muller’s full interview is here.

The 130th-ranked Muller will play Roger Federer in the quarter-finals. GO Luxembourg! You can do it!

Dinara Safina of Russia who reached the quarter-finals at the U.S. Open, said that she wasn’t going to play in Fed Cup final against Spain. She is simply exhausted.

Maria Sharapova manages somehow to stay in the spotlight even though she is skipping this year’s US Open due to a shoulder injury. Shape has a story on how the tennis pro stays active off the court.

Want to get Maria’s bling? Enter to win a diamond-studded Canon PowerShot.

Russians dominate.

WTA Top 10 Rankings (August 25, 2008)

1. Ana Ivanovic - Serbia - 3612

2. Jelena Jankovic - Serbia - 3515

3. Serena Williams - United States - 3341

4. Svetlana Kuznetsova - Russia - 3181

5. Maria Sharapova - Russia - 3131

6. Elena Dementieva - Russia - 3070

7. Dinara Safina - Russia - 3047

8. Venus Williams - United States - 2586

9. Anna Chakvetadze - Russia - 2230

10. Vera Zvonareva - Russia - 2117

In an interview with a Russian sport site, Olympics gold medal winner Elena Dementieva talks about getting an Olympic tattoo, dedicating the victory to her mother, and celebration her major win with friends and relatives in Moscow. Read the full Google-translated interview here.

Russian women tennis players made a history today in Beijing by sweeping medals in women’s singles. The victory made Russia the first nation to win all medals in one tennis event since Britain did a hundred years ago in women’s singles. Elena Dementieva won the gold medal in women’s singles by beating fellow Russian Dinara Safina 3-6, 7-5, 6-3. Vera Zvonareva beat Li Na of China 6-0, 7-5 to win the bronze.

Russian third see Svetlana Kuznetsova was upset by China’s world No 43 Li Na in straight sets in the first round of the Beijing Olympics.

The  No 3-ranked Maria Sharapova has announced on her site that she is pulling out of the Beijing Olympics and the US Open because of her injured right shoulder.

“It hurts me so much to miss the Olympics and the U.S. Open, you have no idea,” she said. “Just to type those words hurt!!” Sharapova said she would go to Arizona to work with a specialist for rehabilitation and strength work. She hopes to be ready  to play again in  two to three months.

This must be really hard for her–especially missing the Olympics. My impression was that she really, really wanted to play for Russia in Beijing. It could also greatly contribute to her image promotion in the world.

In the last two days, Dinara Safina has earned her new name — the Giant Killer. She took her second major victory in two days as she sent former world number one Serena Williams out of the German Open just a day after dispatching world no. 1 Justine Henin.