Kristina Mladenovic vs Belinda bencic. Fed cup 2017

There's plenty of experience on show in Geneva this weekend, not to mention an intriguing second rubber clash between close friends Kristina Mladenovic and Belinda Bencic

GENEVA, SWITZERLAND: Experience is the watchword in the opening match of the Switzerland v France Fed Cup by BNP Paribas first round tie in Geneva.

When the draw took place at the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum in the city centre, it revealed that Timea Bacsinszky – who at 27 has been playing in this competition almost half her life – will face Alize Cornet, herself celebrating her tenth successive year in Fed Cup combat.

At first glance Bacsinszky is the favourite, especially in front of a home crowd at the Palexpo centre. But it must count as a confidence booster to Cornet that she has won the last three of their quartet of career meetings, and moreover completed the task in straight sets. One of those was their clash at the same stage of the Fed Cup in 2014, although that was on French home soil.

Once those two have got the ball rolling, they will be followed on court by Belinda Bencic and Kristina Mladenovic, and form suggests the Swiss clearly has her work cut out against her good friend