RUSSIA VS POLAND. FED CUP 2015. Maria Sharapova returns to Fed Cup

KRAKOW, POLAND
Maria Sharapova returns to Fed Cup by BNP Paribas for the first time since 2012 as the world No. 2 lines up for four-time champion Russia in a mouth-watering World Group first-round clash against Poland in Krakow this weekend. 

After the long journey from Melbourne where she finished runner-up to Serena Williams in the Australian Open final last weekend, Sharapova will face Urszula Radwanska in the second match on Saturday, following the completion of the opening singles rubber between Agnieszka Radwanska and Svetlana Kuznetsova. In what will only be her fifth Fed Cup match, world No. 2 Sharapova is the overwhelming favourite against an opponent ranked 133 places below her.
The Russian won their only encounter in straight sets in Los Angeles in 2009 and arrives in Poland after a run of good form Down Under. Sharapova said: “I think I can take a lot of positives from the whole month in Australia. I had a lot of tough matches, a lot of tough comebacks. Getting a title in Brisbane, carrying that confidence over to Melbourne and losing in the final. But as far as matches, I’m certainly ready to go out and play this weekend.” 
 The Russians will have to contend with a raucous local support in the hometown of the Radwanska sisters, who both play their first ever professional match in Krakow this weekend. The 15,000 seater Krakow Arena is sold out but it is the sort of occasion that Sharapova will undoubtedly relish. Sharapova said: 
“I think many things as expected when you are playing an away match might go against you as far as the court, the atmosphere and the crowd. But overall I think once the team gets out on the court, no matter who we are facing, we thrive on the challenges. I think the importance is the focus on what we have to do.
” Agnieszka’s opener against Kuznetsova, who like Sharapova is also making her first appearance in the competition since 2012, is expected to provide a thrilling start to the tie. Agnieszka may be the higher-ranked player at No. 8 in the world rankings but she comes up against a 29-year-old opponent with stacks of experience having won the competition three times and a Grand Slam title on two occasions.