Stosur faces Petkovic in opening Fed Cup match

Sam Stosur of Australia shows her dejection against Coco Vandeweghe of the United States during their third round match during day 6 at the Sony Open at Crandon Park Tennis Center. AFP Photo

Australian Sam Stosur will take on Germany's Andrea Petkovic in the opening match of the Fed Cup semi-final in Brisbane on Saturday.
 
Stosur, the 2011 US Open champion, was drawn Friday against Germany's second-ranked player and world number 28 Petkovic, for the tie on the hardcourts of Pat Rafter Arena.
 
Casey Dellacqua, ranked 53, will play Germany's top-ranked Angelique Kerber in Saturday's second match, while the reverse singles will be on Sunday, followed by doubles.
 
Ash Barty and Dellacqua, who reached three grand slam doubles finals last year, will play in the doubles for Australia against Julia Goerges and Anna-Lena Groenefeld.
 
It has been 40 years since Australia last won the Fed Cup led by Evonne Goolagong, while Germany haven't won the competition since 1992 when Steffi Graf and Anke Huber starred in the team which defeated Spain.
 
Australia have not featured in a Fed Cup final for more than two decades, but Australian captain Alicia Molik believes history will be on her team's side.
 
Germany have world number seven Angelique Kerber and former top 10 player Andrea Petkovic, but Australia won their last Fed Cup meeting in Stuttgart two years ago.
 
Molik said Stosur would help provide a psychological edge despite the former US Open champion slipping to world number 19.
 
"I think we can win," Molik told reporters.
 
"It will be very clear in the Germans' minds that Sam had the edge (last time in Stuttgart).
 
"As an opponent it is always difficult going into a match knowing that you lost the last encounter.
 
"I am hoping they (Germany) remember those matches very clearly."  

Former world number four Stosur has only made it past the third round at one tournament this year and has struggled in the past with public expectation on Australian courts.
 
"Obviously we would like to break that drought. But we are going to go out there and play as if we were in the final last year," Stosur said.
 
Australia and Germany are meeting for a 13th time with the Australians currently holding an 8-4 advantage.