# 1996 Fed Cup World Group

The World Group was the highest level of Fed Cup competition in 1996. Eight nations competed in a three-round knockout competition. Spain was the three-time defending champion, but they were defeated in the final by the finalist from the last two years, the United States, who captured their fifteenth title.

## Participating teams

Participating teams :
| Argentina | Austria | France | Germany |
| Japan | South Africa | Spain | United States |

## Draw

| Quarterfinals 27–28 April | Quarterfinals 27–28 April | Quarterfinals 27–28 April | Semifinals 13–14 July | Semifinals 13–14 July | Semifinals 13–14 July | Final 28–29 September | Final 28–29 September | Final 28–29 September |
| Murcia, Spain (Outdoor clay) | Murcia, Spain (Outdoor clay) | Murcia, Spain (Outdoor clay) | | | | | | |
| 1 | Spain | 3 | | | | | | |
| 1 | Spain | 3 | Bayonne, France (Indoor carpet) | Bayonne, France (Indoor carpet) | Bayonne, France (Indoor carpet) | | | |
| | South Africa | 2 | Bayonne, France (Indoor carpet) | Bayonne, France (Indoor carpet) | Bayonne, France (Indoor carpet) | | | |
| | South Africa | 2 | 1 | Spain | 3 | | | |
| Amiens, France (Outdoor clay) | Amiens, France (Outdoor clay) | Amiens, France (Outdoor clay) | 1 | Spain | 3 | | | |
| Amiens, France (Outdoor clay) | Amiens, France (Outdoor clay) | Amiens, France (Outdoor clay) | 3 | France | 2 | | | |
| | Argentina | 2 | 3 | France | 2 | | | |
| | Argentina | 2 | | | | Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States (Indoor carpet) | Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States (Indoor carpet) | Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States (Indoor carpet) |
| 3 | France | 3 | | | | Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States (Indoor carpet) | Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States (Indoor carpet) | Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States (Indoor carpet) |
| 3 | France | 3 | | | | 1 | Spain | 0 |
| Tokyo, Japan (Indoor hard) | Tokyo, Japan (Indoor hard) | Tokyo, Japan (Indoor hard) | | | | 1 | Spain | 0 |
| Tokyo, Japan (Indoor hard) | Tokyo, Japan (Indoor hard) | Tokyo, Japan (Indoor hard) | | | | 2 | United States | 5 |
| 4 | Germany | 2 | | | | 2 | United States | 5 |
| 4 | Germany | 2 | Nagoya, Japan (Indoor carpet) | Nagoya, Japan (Indoor carpet) | Nagoya, Japan (Indoor carpet) | | | |
| | Japan | 3 | Nagoya, Japan (Indoor carpet) | Nagoya, Japan (Indoor carpet) | Nagoya, Japan (Indoor carpet) | | | |
| | Japan | 3 | | Japan | 0 | | | |
| Salzburg, Austria (Outdoor clay) | Salzburg, Austria (Outdoor clay) | Salzburg, Austria (Outdoor clay) | | Japan | 0 | | | |
| Salzburg, Austria (Outdoor clay) | Salzburg, Austria (Outdoor clay) | Salzburg, Austria (Outdoor clay) | 2 | United States | 5 | | | |
| | Austria | 2 | 2 | United States | 5 | | | |
| 2 | United States | 3 | | | | | | |

## First round
### Spain vs. South Africa

| Spain 3 | Murcia Tennis Club, Murcia, Spain 27–28 April 1996 Red clay (outdoors) | Murcia Tennis Club, Murcia, Spain 27–28 April 1996 Red clay (outdoors) | South Africa 2 |
| 1 2 3 1 Arantxa Sánchez Vicario Joannette Kruger 6 3 6 1     2 Conchita Martínez Amanda Coetzer 7 5 6 3     3 Arantxa Sánchez Vicario Amanda Coetzer 4 6 1 6     4 Conchita Martínez Mariaan de Swardt 6 2 6 3     5 Virginia Ruano Pascual / María Sánchez Lorenzo Amanda Coetzer / Mariaan de Swardt 4 6 6$^6$ 7$^8$ ||||

### Argentina vs. France

| Argentina 2 | Amiens Coliseum, Amiens, France 27–28 April 1996 Red clay (outdoors) | Amiens Coliseum, Amiens, France 27–28 April 1996 Red clay (outdoors) | France 3 |
| 1 2 3 1 Florencia Labat Nathalie Tauziat 6 3 6 4     2 Paola Suárez Julie Halard-Decugis 4 6 6$^7$ 7$^9$     3 Florencia Labat Julie Halard-Decugis 4 6 1 6     4 Paola Suárez Nathalie Tauziat 7$^7$ 6$^5$ 6 1     5 Florencia Labat / Patricia Tarabini Julie Halard-Decugis / Nathalie Tauziat 2 6 4 6 ||||

### Germany vs. Japan

| Germany 2 | Ariake Coliseum, Tokyo, Japan 27–28 April 1996 DecoTurf (indoors) | Ariake Coliseum, Tokyo, Japan 27–28 April 1996 DecoTurf (indoors) | Japan 3 |
| 1 2 3 1 Anke Huber Kimiko Date 6 4 4 6 1 6   2 Steffi Graf Naoko Sawamatsu 6 1 6 3     3 Steffi Graf Kimiko Date 6$^7$ 7$^9$ 6 3 10 12   4 Anke Huber Naoko Sawamatsu 6 4 4 6 6 2   5 Steffi Graf / Anke Huber Kyōko Nagatsuka / Ai Sugiyama 6 4 3 6 3 6 ||||

### Austria vs. United States

| Austria 2 | Hellbrunn Stadium, Salzburg, Austria 27–28 April 1996 Red clay (outdoors) | Hellbrunn Stadium, Salzburg, Austria 27–28 April 1996 Red clay (outdoors) | United States 3 |
| 1 2 3 1 Judith Wiesner Mary Joe Fernández 3 6 6$^5$ 7$^7$     2 Barbara Paulus Jennifer Capriati 6 2 6 4     3 Barbara Paulus Mary Joe Fernández 3 7 6$^4$ 7$^7$     4 Judith Wiesner Jennifer Capriati 6 1 6 1     5 Petra Schwarz / Judith Wiesner Gigi Fernández / Mary Joe Fernández 0 6 4 6 ||||

## Semifinals
### Spain vs. France

| Spain 3 | Lauga Hall, Bayonne, France 13–14 July 1996 Supreme carpet (indoors) | Lauga Hall, Bayonne, France 13–14 July 1996 Supreme carpet (indoors) | France 2 |
| 1 2 3 1 Conchita Martínez Julie Halard-Decugis 1 6 6 4 6 2   2 Arantxa Sánchez Vicario Mary Pierce 3 6 4 6     3 Conchita Martínez Mary Pierce 7 5 6 1     4 Arantxa Sánchez Vicario Julie Halard-Decugis 6 2 4 6 5 7   5 Conchita Martínez / Arantxa Sánchez Vicario Julie Halard-Decugis / Nathalie Tauziat 6 4 2 1    retired ||||

### Japan vs. United States

| Japan 0 | Rainbow Hall, Nagoya, Japan 13–14 July 1996 Supreme carpet (indoors) | Rainbow Hall, Nagoya, Japan 13–14 July 1996 Supreme carpet (indoors) | United States 5 |
| 1 2 3 1 Kimiko Date Lindsay Davenport 2 6 1 6     2 Ai Sugiyama Monica Seles 2 6 2 6     3 Kimiko Date Monica Seles 0 6 2 6     4 Ai Sugiyama Lindsay Davenport 6$^8$ 7$^{10}$ 5 7     5 Kyōko Nagatsuka / Ai Sugiyama Lindsay Davenport / Linda Wild 2 6 1 6 ||||

## Final
### Spain vs. United States

| Spain 0 | Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States 28–29 September 1996 Supreme carpet (indoors) | Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States 28–29 September 1996 Supreme carpet (indoors) | United States 5 |
| 1 2 3 1 Conchita Martínez Monica Seles 2 6 4 6     2 Arantxa Sánchez Vicario Lindsay Davenport 5 7 1 6     3 Arantxa Sánchez Vicario Monica Seles 6 3 3 6 1 6   4 Gala León García Lindsay Davenport 5 7 2 6     5 Gala León García / Virginia Ruano Pascual Mary Joe Fernández / Linda Wild 1 6 4 6 ||||
* 1996 Fed Cup Champions
* United States Fifteenth title