France and Russia will meet in Fed Cup final

Mary Pierce and Elena Dementieva will meet in Saturday's opening singles of the Fed Cup final between France and Russia after playing each other last week in a contentious match at the U.S. Open.

Also in Friday's draw, Amelie Mauresmo was pitted against Anastasia Myskina in the second match at Roland Garros. France is hoping win its third Fed Cup title and avenge November's 3-2 defeat to Russia in Moscow. Neither Pierce nor Mauresmo played in the 2004 final.

During the U.S. Open semifinals, Dementieva was irked by Pierce's 12-minute injury timeout. Pierce took the timeout after losing the first set, then won 3-6, 6-2, 6-2 to earn a spot in her first U.S. Open final, which she lost to Kim Clijsters.

Pierce said she was over her thigh complaint, and ready to meet Dementieva on the same court she won the French Open in 2000, and reached the final this year. She was at No. 6 in the world, her first time in the top 10 since April 2001, and two spots higher than Dementieva.

Mauresmo has won her last 14 Fed Cup singles, and has a 6-1 record against Myskina. However, this will be their first meeting on clay. Unlike Mauresmo, Myskina has happy memories of Roland Garros after winning last year's French Open, beating Dementieva in the final. Myskina has also won her last nine Cup singles.

In Sunday's reverse singles, Pierce will face Myskina while Mauresmo will take on Dementieva. Mauresmo and Nathalie Dechy will play Vera Douchevina and Dinara Safina in doubles. This will be the third straight year France and Russia have met in the Fed Cup and the eighth time overall. The series dates to 1985, with Russia leading 4-3. Russia downed Italy and the United States 4-1 en route to the final while France beat Austria 4-1 and Spain 3-1, AP reports.