The World Group play-offs were the qualifiers for the highest level of competition in the 2001 Fed Cup and the 2002 Fed Cup.
First round The first round involved the winners of Zonal Competition from last year (Argentina, Hungary, Japan) being randomly drawn against five teams from the 2000 World Group pools. The winners were guaranteed a spot in the World Group next year.
Italy vs. Croatia
Japan vs. Argentina
Slovakia vs. Hungary
Australia vs. Austria
Second round The winners of the first round played off against four other teams from the 2000 World Group pools in the top section, with the winners proceeding to the World Group. The losers of the first round played off against this year's zonal competition winners in the bottom section, with the winners remaining in World Group for next year, and the losers proceeding to Zonal Competition for next year.
Top Section Italy vs. France
Argentina vs. Germany
Slovakia vs. Russia
Australia vs. Switzerland
Bottom Section Croatia vs. Venezuela
Japan vs. Sweden
Hungary vs. Israel
Austria vs. Indonesia
References
See also Fed Cup structure