The Russian team, led by Maria Sharapova, is looking to prevent the Czechs from claiming a fourth Fed Cup title in five years, a feat last accomplished by Russia in 2004-08

Reuters/Prague


Maria Sharapova is happy to cast herself as the underdog in her first Fed Cup final appearance when Russia seeks to take the trophy from holders Czech Republic this weekend.
The Russian team, led by the world number four, is looking to prevent the Czechs from claiming a fourth title in five years, a feat last accomplished by Russia in 2004-08. “We are coming into this final as the underdogs,” said Sharapova when asked about playing in Prague, where the Czech team anchored by Petra Kvitova and Lucie Safarova won the title a year ago.
“We expect a stadium full of Czechs. I’m sure there will be some Russian flags flying around,” added the winner of five grand slam events.
“As we are the underdogs, our full concentration will be on the opponent ahead of us and the matches ahead of us and not so much about what is going on around us,” she said.
The teams last met in the final in 2011 when the Czech Republic defeated Russia in Moscow to lift the Fed Cup trophy for the first time since 1988 when it was still part of communist Czechoslovakia.  The Czechs repeated as champions in 2012, while in 2013 Italy defeated Russia in the final.
Russia earned a finals berth after Elena Vesnina and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova triumphed in the decisive doubles match against Germany in the semi-finals. Sharapova and Ekaterina Makarova, who both missed the last round, will join the team  against the Czechs.  “We have a great team. All the girls are playing really good,” captain Anastasia Myskina said.
Hobbled by injury, Sharapova played her first matches since July at the WTA finals in Singapore last month and was beaten in the semi-finals by world number six Kvitova. She has also lost in 2015 to Safarova, who cracked the top 10 this year.
Sharapova said playing against them again was a great way to finish the year.
“It will be a great opportunity and great challenge,” she said. “It is definitely a very new experience (in the finals)... I hope we as a team can have a good weekend.”

Djokovic, Federer, Bryan brothers get top ATP awards
Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer and the Bryan brothers are the winners of the ATP’s top awards for 2015. Djokovic, who won three Grand Slam titles this year, will receive the ATP World Tour No. 1 award for the second straight year and fourth time overall. He has been ranked No. 1 since July 7, 2014.
Federer has been selected by his peers as winner of the Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship Award for the 11th time. He also gets the fans’ favorite award for a 13th straight year.
It was the fifth time in a row and 11th of his career that the 34-year-old 17-time grand slam winner has picked up the sportsmanship award at the event, while it is the 13th year in a row that the Swiss star has been chosen as the fans’ favourite player.
Djokovic and Federer will be playing in the ATP World Tour Finals, starting on Sunday in London.
Mike and Bob Bryan receive the Arthur Ashe Humanitarian Award for their off-court work with their charitable foundation. They are among four pairs still in contention for the No. 1 doubles award.
Meanwhile 26-year-old Benoit Paire was honoured with the Comeback Player of the Year having climbed from outside the top 150 following an injury-hit 2014 to finish the year ranked 20th.
The Frenchman’s main highlights in the year came as he won the Swedish Open in July and defeated Japanese star Kei Nishikori at the US Open.
The 19-year-old Korean starlet Hyeon Chung was voted Most Improved Player of the Year as he finishes 2015 in a career-high 51st spot in the rankings - a climb of more than 120 places - courtesy of victories in four ATP Challenger Tour events.


Kyrgios, Tomic ignored for Newcombe Medal
Controversial stars Nick Kyrgios and Bernard Tomic have been ignored as nominees for the Newcombe Medal—which rewards Australia’s “most outstanding elite tennis player and ambassador”.
Showman Kyrgios, 20, has made headlines for all the wrong reasons with his sex slur at Stan Wawrinka in August sparking stinging criticism from fellow players.
Despite reaching his best form, Kyrgios earned a suspended ban for the comment to Wawrinka and went on to pick up three code violations in other matches.
Tomic also endured a turbulent year in which he was arrested in Miami for failing to follow police orders over a raucous penthouse party and clashed with Tennis Australia, leading to his suspension from a Davis Cup tie. But the 23-year-old remains the highest-ranking Australian in the world at number 18.
The six nominees for the Newcombe Medal are Sam Groth, Thanasi Kokkinakis, Sam Stosur, doubles stars John Peers and Casey Dellacqua and wheelchair champion Dylan Alcott.
“It is not just about honouring Australia’s most outstanding tennis player, the awards are about recognising and celebrating the exceptional accomplishments and contributions of tennis communities, coaches, clubs and schools around the country,” said Tennis Australia chief Craig Tiley.
The winner will be announced at an awards ceremony in Melbourne on 23 November.
 
US recruits Lendl to work with youngsters
Former world number one Ivan Lendl has been recruited to help nurture the next generation of American tennis stars, the United States Tennis Association said in a statement.
The 55-year-old Czech born legend, whose recent coaching successes include helping Andy Murray triumph at the US Open in 2012 and Wimbledon in 2013, is part of a team of former professionals who will work with youngsters, the USTA added.  
American men’s tennis has failed to produce a Grand Slam singles champion for more than a decade, with Andy Roddick the last player to lift a major title at the 2003 US Open.  
USTA player development general manager Martin Blackman said the input of Lendl, former world number seven Mardy Fish and 2008 Olympian Jill Craybas was part of a strategy to use past champions and professionals as coaches.  
“They have been in the second week of a Grand Slam or even hoisted the trophy on that final Sunday, and that is invaluable,” Blackman said.
“We need to cultivate a culture that is characterized by a champion’s mindset, and when one of our young women or men spends time with a former champion, it creates a cultural connection that cannot be over-estimated.”  
The statement said Lendl began working with a group of 15 and 16-year-old male tennis players at a training camp in Florida last week.