MOSCOW —  Svetlana Kuznetsova will lead defending champion Russia against the United States in the Fed Cup semifinals next weekend.

Russia captain Shamil Tarpishchev also Wednesday named Anna Chakvetadze, Dinara Safina and Elena Vesnina for the match, which will be held April 26-27 on clay at the Luzhniki indoor arena _ where Russia beat the Czech Republic in the Davis Cup quarterfinals last weekend.

The United States has yet to name its team.

Australian Open champion Maria Sharapova will skip the match as part of what Tarpishchev has said was an agreement with Kuznetsova.

Sharapova made her Fed Cup debut in the first round against Israel in February.

The United States has won the Fed Cup title for a record 17 times, and is 4-2 against three-time champion Russia.

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