Wednesday, 11 April 2018:
 | | SAMANTHA STOSUR of Australia plays forehand during the WTA Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championship at the Dubai Tennis Stadium in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. | |
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Sam Stosur will play her first Fed Cup tie in two years when she joins Ashleigh Barty, Daria Gavrilova and Destanee Aiava in facing the Netherlands.
Australia will aim to reach the top-eight for the first time since 2015 by beating the Dutch the World Group playoff in Wollongong on April 21-22.
World No.58 Stosur took last year off Fed Cup duties as she prioritised getting her body right for her WTA career.
She last played in the 4-0 World Group playoff loss to the United States in 2016, defeated by Coco Vandeweghe and Christina McHale in her singles matches.
Australia progressed to this month's playoff after beating an Elina Svitolina-less Ukraine 3-2 in Canberra in February.
World No.18 Barty backed up her two singles wins by joining Casey Dellacqua to see Australia through after an out-of-form Gavrilova dropped both her singles rubbers.
Dellacqua retired from tennis on Tuesday.
Captain Alicia Molik has welcomed back Stosur, who began her Fed Cup career in Wollongong 15 years ago.
"Sam not only has a fantastic Fed Cup record, but she's the ultimate team player and her experience and outstanding professionalism make her a great role model and a natural leader," Molik said.
The tie will be played indoors on a purpose-built hard court at the Wollongong Entertainment Centre when the event returns to NSW for the first time since 2003.
