# 1997 Fed Cup World Group

The World Group was the highest level of Fed Cup competition in 1997. Eight nations competed in a three-round knockout competition. United States was the defending champion, but they were defeated in the first round by the Netherlands. France ended up capturing their first title, defeating the Netherlands in the final.

## Participating teams

Participating teams :
| Belgium | Czech Republic | France | Germany |
| Japan | Netherlands | Spain | United States |

## Draw

| Quarterfinals 1–2 March | Quarterfinals 1–2 March | Quarterfinals 1–2 March | Semifinals 12–13 July | Semifinals 12–13 July | Semifinals 12–13 July | Final 4–5 October | Final 4–5 October | Final 4–5 October |
| Haarlem, Netherlands (Indoor carpet) | Haarlem, Netherlands (Indoor carpet) | Haarlem, Netherlands (Indoor carpet) | | | | | | |
| 1 | United States | 2 | | | | | | |
| 1 | United States | 2 | Prague, Czech Republic (Outdoor clay) | Prague, Czech Republic (Outdoor clay) | Prague, Czech Republic (Outdoor clay) | | | |
| | Netherlands | 3 | Prague, Czech Republic (Outdoor clay) | Prague, Czech Republic (Outdoor clay) | Prague, Czech Republic (Outdoor clay) | | | |
| | Netherlands | 3 | | Netherlands | 3 | | | |
| Mannheim, Germany (Indoor hard) | Mannheim, Germany (Indoor hard) | Mannheim, Germany (Indoor hard) | | Netherlands | 3 | | | |
| Mannheim, Germany (Indoor hard) | Mannheim, Germany (Indoor hard) | Mannheim, Germany (Indoor hard) | | Czech Republic | 2 | | | |
| | Czech Republic | 3 | | Czech Republic | 2 | | | |
| | Czech Republic | 3 | | | | 's-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands (Indoor carpet) | 's-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands (Indoor carpet) | 's-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands (Indoor carpet) |
| 3 | Germany | 2 | | | | 's-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands (Indoor carpet) | 's-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands (Indoor carpet) | 's-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands (Indoor carpet) |
| 3 | Germany | 2 | | | | | Netherlands | 1 |
| Tokyo, Japan (Indoor hard) | Tokyo, Japan (Indoor hard) | Tokyo, Japan (Indoor hard) | | | | | Netherlands | 1 |
| Tokyo, Japan (Indoor hard) | Tokyo, Japan (Indoor hard) | Tokyo, Japan (Indoor hard) | | | | 4 | France | 4 |
| 4 | France | 4 | | | | 4 | France | 4 |
| 4 | France | 4 | Nice, France (Outdoor clay) | Nice, France (Outdoor clay) | Nice, France (Outdoor clay) | | | |
| | Japan | 1 | Nice, France (Outdoor clay) | Nice, France (Outdoor clay) | Nice, France (Outdoor clay) | | | |
| | Japan | 1 | 4 | France | 3 | | | |
| Sprimont, Belgium (Indoor hard) | Sprimont, Belgium (Indoor hard) | Sprimont, Belgium (Indoor hard) | 4 | France | 3 | | | |
| Sprimont, Belgium (Indoor hard) | Sprimont, Belgium (Indoor hard) | Sprimont, Belgium (Indoor hard) | | Belgium | 2 | | | |
| | Belgium | 5 | | Belgium | 2 | | | |
| 2 | Spain | 0 | | | | | | |

## First round
### United States vs. Netherlands

| United States 2 | Haarlem Sports Centre, Haarlem, Netherlands 1–2 March 1997 Supreme carpet (indoors) | Haarlem Sports Centre, Haarlem, Netherlands 1–2 March 1997 Supreme carpet (indoors) | Netherlands 3 |
| 1 2 3 1 Mary Joe Fernández Miriam Oremans 1 6 4 6     2 Chanda Rubin Brenda Schultz-McCarthy 4 6 6 4 6 3   3 Mary Joe Fernández Brenda Schultz-McCarthy 6 1 4 6 7 9   4 Chanda Rubin Miriam Oremans 3 6 0 6     5 Gigi Fernández / Kimberly Po Manon Bollegraf / Kristie Boogert 6 3 6 2 ||||

### Czech Republic vs. Germany

| Czech Republic 3 | May Market Hall, Mannheim, Germany 1–2 March 1997 DecoTurf (indoors) | May Market Hall, Mannheim, Germany 1–2 March 1997 DecoTurf (indoors) | Germany 2 |
| 1 2 3 1 Ludmila Richterová Marlene Weingärtner 6 3 5 7 3 6   2 Adriana Gerši Barbara Rittner 6 4 6 2     3 Ludmila Richterová Barbara Rittner 6 1 6 4     4 Adriana Gerši Marlene Weingärtner 6 2 6 2     5 Eva Martincová / Ludmila Richterová Barbara Rittner / Elena Wagner 6$^3$ 7$^7$ 2 6 ||||

### France vs. Japan

| France 4 | Ariake Coliseum, Tokyo, Japan 1–2 March 1997 DecoTurf (indoors) | Ariake Coliseum, Tokyo, Japan 1–2 March 1997 DecoTurf (indoors) | Japan 1 |
| 1 2 3 1 Mary Pierce Naoko Sawamatsu 6 0 7$^7$ 6$^4$     2 Nathalie Tauziat Ai Sugiyama 4 6 7 5 6 4   3 Mary Pierce Ai Sugiyama 5 7 7$^9$ 6$^7$ 4 6   4 Nathalie Tauziat Naoko Sawamatsu 7 5 4 6 17 15   5 Alexandra Fusai / Anne-Gaëlle Sidot Naoko Kijimuta / Kyoko Nagatsuka 7 5 6 4 ||||
* This tie holds the Fed Cup record for the most games, with 162.

### Belgium vs. Spain

| Belgium 5 | Tennissimo, Sprimont, Belgium 1–2 March 1997 Greenset (indoors) | Tennissimo, Sprimont, Belgium 1–2 March 1997 Greenset (indoors) | Spain 0 |
| 1 2 3 1 Els Callens Arantxa Sánchez Vicario 6 3 7$^7$ 6$^4$     2 Sabine Appelmans Magüi Serna 6 1 4 6 6 3   3 Sabine Appelmans Arantxa Sánchez Vicario 6 3 2 6 8 6   4 Els Callens Magüi Serna 6 1 6 3     5 Els Callens / Nancy Feber Gala León García / Virginia Ruano Pascual 5 7 6 2 6 2 ||||

## Semifinals
### Czech Republic vs. Netherlands

| Czech Republic 2 | I. Czech Lawn Tennis Club, Prague, Czech Republic 12–13 July 1997 Red clay (outdoors) | I. Czech Lawn Tennis Club, Prague, Czech Republic 12–13 July 1997 Red clay (outdoors) | Netherlands 3 |
| 1 2 3 1 Sandra Kleinová Brenda Schultz-McCarthy 1 6 6$^5$ 7$^7$     2 Jana Novotná Miriam Oremans 6 3 6 0     3 Jana Novotná Brenda Schultz-McCarthy 7$^7$ 6$^3$ 6 3     4 Adriana Gerši Miriam Oremans 6 1 2 6 7 9   5 Eva Martincová / Jana Novotná Manon Bollegraf / Miriam Oremans 4 6 6$^5$ 7$^7$ ||||

### France vs. Belgium

| France 3 | Nice Lawn Tennis Club, Nice, France 12–13 July 1997 Red clay (outdoors) | Nice Lawn Tennis Club, Nice, France 12–13 July 1997 Red clay (outdoors) | Belgium 2 |
| 1 2 3 1 Alexandra Fusai Sabine Appelmans 6$^1$ 7$^7$ 6 3 6 1   2 Sandrine Testud Dominique Van Roost 6 4 5 7 4 6   3 Sandrine Testud Sabine Appelmans 6 2 6 4     4 Alexandra Fusai Dominique Van Roost 3 6 3 6     5 Alexandra Fusai / Nathalie Tauziat Els Callens / Dominique Van Roost 3 6 6 2 7 5 ||||

## Final
### Netherlands vs. France

| Netherlands 1 | Brabant Hall, 's-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands 4–5 October 1997 Supreme carpet (indoors) | Brabant Hall, 's-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands 4–5 October 1997 Supreme carpet (indoors) | France 4 |
| 1 2 3 1 Brenda Schultz-McCarthy Sandrine Testud 4 6 6 4 3 6   2 Miriam Oremans Mary Pierce 4 6 1 6     3 Brenda Schultz-McCarthy Mary Pierce 4 6 6 3 6 4   4 Miriam Oremans Sandrine Testud 6 0 3 6 3 6   5 Manon Bollegraf / Caroline Vis Alexandra Fusai / Nathalie Tauziat 3 6 4 6 ||||
* 1997 Fed Cup Champions
* France First title