USA’s Fed Cup Anthem Gaffe
The first round of the 2017 Fed Cup, over all levels of the competition, was played around the world last week, giving New Zealand sports betting fans lots of wagering options. However, the event that tickled punters the most had nothing to do with tennis.
The luxurious Royal Laihana Resort in Hawaii was the venue for the World Group USA versus Germany clash. The hosts were left red-faced right at the start, when they played the wrong version of the German national anthem: including the opening verses hailing “Germany above all others” that have not been used since the fall of the Nazi Third Reich.
It was, however, the only moment of embarrassment for the American team; they won the round convincingly 4-0.
Czech Republic Still Many Punters’ Top Pick
Defending Fed Cup champions Czech Republic are also through to the semi-finals, after beating Spain 3-2 in Ostrava. In Minsk, Belarus beat the Netherlands 4-1, and the Swiss team beat France by the same margin in Geneva.
The semi-finals are scheduled for April 22-23. The USA will host Czech Republic, and Belarus will be at home to Switzerland. The finals are scheduled for November.
Germany, France, the Netherlands and Spain now go to the World Group Play-Offs, where they will play the four teams that finished top of the World Group II in last week’s first round. These are Russia, Belgium, Ukraine and Slovakia, all of which now have a shot at promotion to the World Group for 2018.
Great Britain Tops Zone Qualifiers
Apart from the World Group and World Group II Fed Cup matches last week, there was also lots of action in the three regional Zones, as teams jostled for a shot at the next World Group II Play-offs.
In the Europe/Africa Zone Group 1 first round in Estonia, Great Britain’s Johanna Konta and Heather Watson beat Portugal, Latvia, Turkey and Croatia. Serbians Dejana Radanovic and Bojana Marinkovic also finished on top, after beating Estonia, Bulgaria, Israel and Poland.
Great Britain and Serbia, along with Canada and Kazakhstan, are now through to challenge the four World Group II Round 1 losing teams in April’s World Group II Play-offs: namely, Australia, Italy, Taiwan and Romania. The top four teams will be promoted to the 2018 World Group II.
| # | Site | Bonus | Bet | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  | Ladbrokes |  | 5/5 | 100% Match up to $250 | Bet now Review |
| 2 |  | Betway | | 4.9/5 | Up to $60 NZD | Bet now Review |
| 3 |  | Palmerbet | | 4.8/5 | 100% Match | Bet now Review |
| 4 |  | Picklebet | | 4.6/5 | Login to see promotions | Bet now Review |
More About Lauren Ball
An avid writer and sports betting enthusiast, Lauren Ball has found the ideal way to combine the two. As a regular contributor and resident OnlineBettingNZ.co.nz expert, Lauren is now putting her considerable wisdom to good use, and keeps punters informed as to what’s hot and happening in the online betting and sporting world.
From the latest sports results to any upsets or developments in the betting world, Lauren makes it her business to know what’s going on in the industry and share it with those who have the same interests.
You May Also Like:
Zverev Says He Regrets Umpire Incident
Alexander Zverev says he deeply regrets the attack he launched on the umpire’s chair at the Mexican Open in Acapulco. After taking issue with a line call on Tuesday night, ….
Peng Shuai’s Real Status Still In Question
Uncertainty continues to prevail over whether or not Chinese tennis star Peng Shuai is actually safe and able to speak freely. According to a journalist who conducted a recent first ….
Labor Lashes Out At Gov Over Djokovic Delay
Australia’s Labor party is accusing the Morrison government of dragging out the Novak Djokovic visa affair unnecessarily – and in a deliberate effort to distract from its woes surrounding the ….
Officials Looking Into Djokovic Declaration
Australian border officials are reportedly investigating whether tennis world No. 1 Novak Djokovic had indeed been honest when he declared he had not travelled for two weeks prior to his ….
WTA Insists On Peng Shuai Investigation
The Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) has repeated its call for a full and transparent investigation into the welfare and safety of Chinese tennis star Peng Shuai. The organisation said a ….