Top-seeded Hong Kong has drawn Singapore, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka in Pool A at the Fed Cup by BNP Paribas Asia/Oceania Zone Group II in Shenzhen this week. The team has received a bye and will begin play on Tuesday at the Luohu Tennis Center.

Since India did not warrant a seeding due to its inferior ITF Fed Cup Nations Ranking (two seeded teams only), there was a 50-50 chance that it could end up in the same pool as Hong Kong. By sheer luck of the draw, India went to Pool B instead together with 2nd seeds Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia, Oman, and Iran.

Instead of the players' WTA Rankings, teams are seeded according to the latest ITF Fed Cup Nations Rankings.

Here is a breakdown of Hong Kong's historical match-ups vis-à-vis other Pool A teams in the Fed Cup:

Kyrgyzstan defeated Hong Kong 2-1 in their only face off to date back in 2010 with Ksenia Palkina, then ranked No. 236, beating Zhang Ling, 7-5, 7-6(3), at the one spot to level the tie after Jessica Yang had won against Bermet Duvanaeva, 6-1, 5-7, 6-1.

Palkina then partnered Bermet Duvanaeva to overcome Zhang Ling and Jessica Yang in the deciding doubles, 7-5, 7-5.

However, Palkina has now slipped to No. 505 in the rankings and she has not been nominated to play this week.


Related Story: Kyrgyzstan beats Hong Kong 2-1 to secure playoff with India (6 Feb 2010)


Against Singapore, Hong Kong is 5-0 without ever dropping a rubber in all those prior match-ups since their first meeting back in 2001. Twelve months ago, Singapore finished in 4th place in Group II following a 2-1 playoff loss to the Philippines.

Although Sri Lanka is returning to Fed Cup play for the first time since going 0-3 in Group II in 2008, it does own a winning record against the territory.

In 1992, Sri Lanka beat a Hong Kong team comprising Willy Chan and Paulette Moreno 3-0 in an Asia/Oceania Zone Group I round robin match in the two nations' only previous engagement to date.

As for Pakistan, it will face Hong Kong in the Fed Cup for the first time later this week.

In 2011, Turkmenistan defeated Pakistan 2-1 to finish in 5th place in Group II, while Oman beat a Kyrgyzstan outfit without the services of both Palkina and Duvanaeva 3-0 to end up in 7th position.

Did You Know…?

According to Appendix A of the ITF Fed Cup Regulations pertaining to METHOD OF DETERMINING PLACES IN THE ROUND ROBIN:

(i) If two Nations score an equal number of points, the head-to-head result between these nations shall decide the winner.
(ii) If three or more Nations score an equal number of points, the following procedures shall be used:

- The number of matches won shall decide the winner.
- If matches won are equal, the percentage of sets won played against all teams in the pool shall decide the winner.
- If the percentage of sets won is equal, the percentage of games won played against all teams in the pool shall decide the winner.

When three or more nations are tied, head-to-head results are never used to determine the positions in the pool.