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Just when the Fed Cup renamed itself, completely changed its format to more closely resemble the new Davis Cup, and moved to a one-week format in one venue, COVID hit.

And so, the inaugural rebranding that was to occur late in 2020 in Budapest ends up happening in late 2021 in … Prague.

The host Hungarians had to forfeit their wild card, which meant that the Canadian team was able to slide in for that 12th spot.

Unfortunately, the nation’s two top 30 players – 2019 US Open champion Bianca Andreescu and 2021 US Open finalist Leylah Fernandez – decided to take a pass.

Which makes it an uphill battle. That’s especially true given the talented teams Canada has in its pool: France and Russia.

(Oops, that’s the “Russian Tennis Federation” team. The ITF is an Olympic-connected federation, after all).

It’s a quick format – No. 2 play, No. 1s play, and then the doubles. The lineups are due from each captain no later than an hour before play begins. Although except for a deep team like the Czech Republic, there aren’t likely to be too many surprises.

The week gets going on Monday. Here are the lineups, schedules and those MIA.

We’ll update throughout the day.

Centre Court, Day Session

Canada 2, France 1 (FINAL)

#2 Francoise Abanda (CAN) def #2 Fiona Ferro (FRA) 46 64 64
#1 Alizé Cornet (FRA) def #1 Rebecca Marino (CAN) 64 76 (5)
Rebecca Marino / Gabriela Dabrowski (CAN) def Clara Burel / Alizee Cornet (FRA) 63 76 (6)

(Missing: Bianca Andreescu, Leylah Fernandez, Kristina Mladenovic)

No. 1 Court, Day Session

Belgium 2, Belarus 1 (FINAL)

#2 Greet Minnen (BEL) def #2 Iryna Shymanovich (BLR) 62 62
#1 Elise Mertens (BEL) def #1 Aliaksandra Sasnovich (BLR) 62 46 62
Vera Lapko / Aliaksandra Sasnovich (BLR) def. ~~Ysaline Bonaventure~~ Elise Mertens / Kristen Flipkens (BEL) 64 63

(Missing: Aryna Sabalenka, Victoria Azarenka, Alison Van Uytvanck).

Centre Court
Evening Session

Czech Republic 2, Germany 1 (FINAL)

1. #2 Marketa Vondrousova (CZE) def. #2 Andrea Petkovic (GER) 61 63
2. #1 Angelique Kerber (GER) def #1 Barbora Krejcikova (CZE) 67 (5) 60 64
3. ~~Barbora Krejcikova~~ Lucie Hradecka / Katerina Siniakova (CZE) def. Anna-Lena Friedsam / Jule Niemeier (GER) 64 67 (2) [10-8]

(Missing: Karolina Pliskova, Petra Kvitova, Karolina Muchova)

No. 1 Court
Evening Session

Spain 2, Slovakia 1 (FINAL)

1. #2 Viktoria Kuzmova (SVK) def #2 Carla Suarez Navarro (ESP) 62 36 63
2. #1 Sara Sorribes Tormo (ESP) def #1 Anna Karolina Schmiedlova (SVK) 63 36 62
3. ~~Rebeka Masarova / Nuria Parrizas-Diez~~ Carla Suarez Navarro / Sara Sorribes Tormo (ESP) def Viktoria Kuzmova / Tereza Mihalikova (SVK) 46 62 [10-7]

(Missing: Garbiñe Muguruza, Paula Badosa)