China's tennis players were beaten by Russians in the first two singles match in the semifinals of the Federation Cup held in Moscow on Saturday.

Russia's world No. 8 player Svetlana Kuznetsova defeated China's Yan Zi 6-2, 6-4 in the first match and world No. 4 player Elena Dementieva beat Zhang Shuai 6-3, 6-0.

Dementieva said the Russians could switch the team around for the reverse singles on Sunday, with the intended doubles pairing of Anna Chakvetadze and Alisa Kleibanova playing the singles and Dementieva partnering Kuznetsova in the doubles against Sun Tiantian and Yan Zi.

Russia has won the Federation Cup trophy four out of the last five tournaments.

(Xinhua News Agency Feburary 9, 2009)