Tennis

Fed Cup revises rules for dead matches

Published Feb. 7, 2013 7:09 a.m. ET

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The fourth singles in a Fed Cup tie will be scrapped if a team has an unassailable 3-0 lead, under new rules brought in to make the competition ''more player-friendly.''

Under the ITF's revised dead rubber policy, the doubles will be brought forward and played instead of the fourth singles.

Juan Margets, executive vice-president of the ITF, says in a statement on Thursday that the rule change ''came in response to requests from players, captains and national associations'' following its introduction in the Davis Cup.

If a tie is decided after the fourth singles, the doubles will still be played and a first-to-10 match tiebreaker will replace the third set. This will apply in group play but not in the final, when the doubles won't be played.

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