They often represented Spain in international tennis competitions like the Davis Cup and Fed Cup.
Saturday's matches were played in front of a Fed Cup record crowd of 15, 000.
"If (Sharapova) joins our (Fed Cup) team next season, you won't see me there for sure, " she said.
But now we're in the Fed Cup final again, so I'm really happy.
It is the second Fed Cup title for the French, who last won the trophy in 1997 against the Netherlands.
Meanwhile, defending champions the Czech Republic took a commanding 2-0 lead in the women's Fed Cup semifinal against Italy on Saturday.
Williams, who will reclaim the top ranking on Monday, has not played for the USA in the Fed Cup since 2007.
Meanwhile, the Czech Republic's grip on the women's Fed Cup title slipped on Saturday after Italy took a 2-0 lead in Palermo.
In December, Arantxa was chosen as the Fed Cup captain for Spain.
In other tennis action Sunday, Fed Cup holders the Czech Republic beat Italy 4-1 in Ostrava to seal their place in the final.
Russia are the defending champions and it is the third year in a row that the two nations have met in the Fed Cup.
Daniela Hantuchova brought Slovakia level at the end of day one of the Fed Cup final with a comprehensive win over Spain's Magui Serna.
Serbia, who have been beaten by Russia in their last three Fed Cup meetings, is in its strongest position yet to finally claim a victory.
CNN: Fed Cup: Serbia makes history in first semifinal showdown
Nigel Sears, former coach to Daniela Hantuchova, has been brought in by Maes to work with the key players and captain the Fed Cup side.
Should the Czechs win they would complete a rare double after their women's team won the Fed Cup in the same arena two weeks ago.
Meanwhile, last year's losing finalists the United States made a strong start without Williams in their Fed Cup first-round clash with France in Lievin on Saturday.
Shamil Tarpishev, Russia's Fed Cup captain, has backed Sharapova's single-minded assault on the singles scene, while others have cut to the chase in characteristically straightforward fashion.
The pressure was on the home favourite, with LTA chief Roger Draper and GB Fed Cup coach Nigel Sears among the crowd on a packed Court One.
Martinez-Sanchez has played Jankovic only twice, winning on hardcourt in 2001 when the Serbian retired hurt and losing on clay last year in the Fed Cup teams event.
The world number seven secured Russia's fourth Fed Cup crown in five years by winning the first match of the day 5-7 6-3 6-4 in two hours 39 minutes.
Meanwhile, Venus Williams has been removed from the U.S. squad for their Fed Cup semifinal with Russia due to a knee injury she picked up at the Miami Masters.
"We have had a good team for a while but we never seem to come together and actually go for it, " she said on the official Fed Cup website.
CNN: Fed Cup: Serbia makes history in first semifinal showdown
"We saw a lot of fluids around the muscle, and the doctor said it had a small rupture in it, " Sam Verslegars, Clijsters' physio, told the Fed Cup's official Web site.
The International Tennis Federation, which organises the four Grand Slam tournaments as well as the Fed Cup and Davis Cup, said it would be in contact with the UAE's tennis federation.
Meanwhile, Petra Kvitova and Lucie Safarova gave Fed Cup champions the Czech Republic a 2-0 lead over Australia after the first day of their World Group tie in Ostrava on Saturday.
With both the Williams sisters ruled out through injury, Melanie Oudin opened the tie for the hosts with a 6-3 6-3 win over Alla Kudryavtseva -- who was making her Fed Cup debut.
She has repeatedly explained that she skipped the Fed Cup so she could concentrate on becoming number one, and has continued to maintain that she has no plans to become a fully-fleged American.
Meanwhile, Russia booked a place in the final of the women's Fed Cup competition after overturning a 2-0 deficit against Slovakia in Moscow on Sunday -- becoming the first team to ever do so.
The Serbian women's team reached the World Group playoffs of the Fed Cup in 2007, but with Jankovic and Ivanovic in the ranks have the potential to challenge for top honors in years to come.
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