1996 Fed Cup World Group

1996 Fed Cup World Group
1996 Fed Cup World Group
Date	27 April – 29 September
Edition	6th
Champions
	; United States

Last updated April 05, 2025

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			Semifinals 13–14 July			Final 28–29 September

Murcia, Spain (Outdoor clay)

1	Spain	3
			Bayonne, France (Indoor carpet)
	South Africa	2
			1	Spain	3
Amiens, France (Outdoor clay)
			3	France	2
	Argentina	2
						Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States (Indoor carpet)
3	France	3
						1	Spain	0
Tokyo, Japan (Indoor hard)
						2	United States	5
4	Germany	2
			Nagoya, Japan (Indoor carpet)
	Japan	3
				Japan	0
Salzburg, Austria (Outdoor clay)
			2	United States	5
	Austria	2

2	United States	3

First round

Spain vs. South Africa

Spain
3

Murcia Tennis Club, Murcia, Spain
27–28 April 1996
Red clay (outdoors)

South Africa
2

		1	2
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	6⁶ 7⁸

^[1]

Argentina vs. France

Argentina
2

Amiens Coliseum, Amiens, France
27–28 April 1996
Red clay (outdoors)

France
3

		1	2
1	Florencia Labat Nathalie Tauziat	6 3	6 4
2	Paola Suárez Julie Halard-Decugis	4 6	6⁷ 7⁹
3	Florencia Labat Julie Halard-Decugis	4 6	1 6
4	Paola Suárez Nathalie Tauziat	7⁷ 6⁵	6 1
5	Florencia Labat / Patricia Tarabini Julie Halard-Decugis / Nathalie Tauziat	2 6	4 6

^[2]

Germany vs. Japan

Germany
2

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	6⁷ 7⁹	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

^[3]

Austria vs. United States

Austria
2

Hellbrunn Stadium, Salzburg, Austria
27–28 April 1996
Red clay (outdoors)

United States
3

		1	2
1	Judith Wiesner Mary Joe Fernández	3 6	6⁵ 7⁷
2	Barbara Paulus Jennifer Capriati	6 2	6 4
3	Barbara Paulus Mary Joe Fernández	3 7	6⁴ 7⁷
4	Judith Wiesner Jennifer Capriati	6 1	6 1
5	Petra Schwarz / Judith Wiesner Gigi Fernández / Mary Joe Fernández	0 6	4 6

^[4]

Semifinals

Spain vs. France

Spain
3

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

^[5]

Japan vs. United States

Japan
0

Rainbow Hall, Nagoya, Japan
13–14 July 1996
Supreme carpet (indoors)

United States
5

		1	2
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	6⁸ 7¹⁰	5 7
5	Kyōko Nagatsuka / Ai Sugiyama Lindsay Davenport / Linda Wild	2 6	1 6

^[6]

Final

Spain vs. United States

Spain
0

Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States
28–29 September 1996
Supreme carpet (indoors)