The Optus Australian Fed Cup team has defeated Switzerland 3-1 in the Fed Cup by BNP Paribas  World Group II Play-off in Mildura.

Jelena Dokic (71) and Rennae Stubbs (9 in doubles) were leading Switzerland’s Amra Sadikovic (507) and Mateja Kraljevic 6-3 1-4 in the final rubber before bad light stopped play.

Earlier, in a match interrupted  by rain, Jessica Moore (142) who was playing in  her second Fed Cup tie lost to Switzerland’s 15 year-old debutant, Mateja Kraljevic. 

Kraljevic, who had never played on grass before this weekend, said she “liked playing on grass” and was “really happy” with her win.

In the first match of the day Samantha Stosur (31) defeated Switzerland's No.1 Stephanie Voegele (120) 7-6(2) 5-7 6-3 to secure the tie for Australia.

The Optus Australian Fed Cup team will now play in the World Group II in 2010.

“It is nice to finally be back in the World Group II and [we are] certainly looking forward to the next year to do even better,” Samantha Stosur said.

“I think we have great potential. When Casey [Dellacqua] gets back and if she can get herself back to where she was we will have three players almost in the top 50. That is what a lot of winning teams have got and there is no reason why we cannot be there with them.

The Optus Australian Fed Cup captain David Taylor said that the strength of the team is its depth.

“You know Casey can’t play and we’ve still got our options there with Jelena and Sam so I think the strength is the depth and then I think someone like Sam’s leadership has really been good for the team and been good for us. [She] hasn’t lost a match this year in Fed Cup and I think one or two of our three girls will really step up and do some good things in tennis and then the other ones will be trying to catch them. So it’s a sort of success breeding success within the team.”

The official draw for 2010 Fed Cup by BNP Paribas competition will take place on the 3rd June at Roland Garros.

Yesterday Stosur defeated the Swiss No.2 Amra Sadikovic (507), 6-1 6-2 and Jelena Dokic (71) defeated Voegele 7-6(1) 6-4 to give Australia  a 2-0 lead.