Pierce will miss Fed Cup showdown
 |  Pierce may be fit for the Fed Cup final should France overcome Spain |
| |
PARIS, France -- Mary Pierce has pulled out of France's defence of their Fed Cup title with a shoulder injury, increasing Russia's chances of taking their first crown.
France were already missing world number two Amelie Mauresmo for their semi-final against Spain, after she withdrew last week to prepare for the 2005 season.
Russia, with grand slam champions Svetlana Kuznetsova and Anastasia Myskina in their team, will play Austria in the other semi.
Mauresmo and 2000 French Open champion Pierce led France to victory by beating Russia and the U.S. a year ago in Moscow.
In Wednesday's opening match, it will be 16-year-old Tatiana Golovin of France who takes on Anabel Medina Garrigues.
Nathalie Dechy, the highest-ranked non-Russian in the finals at 21, meets Maria Sanchez Lorenzo in the second match at Moscow's Krylatskoye Indoor Arena.
U.S. Open champion Kuznetsova and French Open winner Myskina spearhead Russia's campaign to capture their first Fed Cup title.
Kuznetsova, ranked five, plays Austria number one Yvonne Meusburger in the first singles with world number three Myskina taking on 225th-ranked Patricia Wartusch in the second match.
French captain Guy Forget rates Russia as overwhelming favourites.
"I don't know if there is another nation that is as strong as Russia is at the moment," said Forget. "But we are not thinking about the final at all right now because we must play Spain first.
"Mary Pierce has a sore shoulder and is not fit to play at this moment. But she is with us here in Moscow and if we reach the final, then she might be able to help us," he said.
Russian captain Shamil Tarpishchev tried to play down talk of his side cruising to victory. The hosts are so strong they can afford to leave out Wimbledon champion Maria Sharapova.
"It seems like everyone has given us the title already, but we're not concerned with such talk at all," he said.
"Although, I must say, if we play to our potential, then we shouldn't have any problems here."
Spanish coach Miguel Margets felt the withdrawal of Mauresmo gave his team a good chance of reaching the final. "Her absence makes a lot of difference," he said.
Austria captain Alfred Tesar said he was happy to have made the last four.
"We're missing our top three players - Barbara Schett, Barbara Schwartz and Sybille Bammer - and we've brought a young team here, so it will be a great experience for them to play against Russia."
Fed Cup schedule:
Wednesday Semifinals (08:00 GMT)
Anabel Medina (Sp) v Tatiana Golovin (Fr)
Maria Antonia Sanchez (Sp) v Nathalie Dechy (Fr)
After 14:00 GMT
Svetlana Kuznetsova (Rus) v Yvonne Meusburger (Aut)
Anastasia Myskina (Rus) v Patricia Wartusch (Aut)
Thursday Semifinals (07:00 GMT)
Anabel Medina (Sp) v Nathalie Dechy (Fr)
Maria Antonia Sanchez (Sp) v Tatiana Golovin (Fr)
Marta Marrero/Virginia Ruano (Sp) v Emilie Loit/Marion Bartoli (Fr)
After 14:00 GMT
Anastasia Myskina (Rus) v Yvonne Meusburger (Aut)
Svetlana Kuznetsova (Rus) v Patricia Wartusch (Aut)
Elena Likhovtseva/Vera Zvonareva (Rus) v Yvonne Meusburger/Patricia Wartusch (Aut)
Friday Rest day
Saturday Final (10:00 GMT)
First two singles matches
Sunday Final (10:OO GMT)
Final two singles matches followed by doubles.
