FedCup: Ilie Nastase announces the team to play against the UK – Halep, Begu, Niculescu, Cirstea

Ilie Nastase (photo), Romanian non-player captain has announced the players to play against Britain, in the Fed Cup: Simona Halep (5th WTA), Irina-Camelia Begu (33rd WTA), Monica Niculescu (47th WTA) and Sorana Cirstea (61st WTA). The matches will be played during April 22-23 in Mamaia, at the Tennis Club IDU.

“This encounter in the Fed Cup between the teams of Romania and Great Britain is an important sporting event of the beginning of the year in Romania, and we are glad that we play in Mamaia, on clay. I am delighted also that we have the best team available, the girls are healthy and ready to give their best. This is a match we need to win,” Ilie Nastase said on the official website of the Romanian Tennis Federation (FRT).

Britain’s team:

Johanna Konta – 7th WTA and 136^th in doubles. She won the tournament in Miami, in the quarterfinals she defeated Simona Halep (direct matches with Halep 2-0). Her coach is Wim Fissette, the former coach of Simona Halep in 2014;

Heather Watson – 110th WTA and 80th in the doubles.

Laura Robson – 209th WTA and 292^nd in the doubles.

Jocelyn Rae – 105th WTA in the doubles ranking.

Romania vs. UK is part of the match for remaining in Fed Cup World Group II.

The Romanian team lost in February 2017 the match against Belgium.

Britain has never won the Fed Cup trophy, although it played no less than four finals: 1967, 1970, 1972 and 1981.