The SPORTIMES (5-1) trailed the entire match, finally earning a tie on Hingis’s 5-0 victory in the fifth event, women’s singles.  By WTT rules, Hingis’ win over Maria Sanchez (with Huber replacing Sanchez for the final game) narrowed evened the match at 15, extending the match to a super tiebreak.  With the super-tiebreak tied at 6-6, Hingis won the deciding point, coming to the net after a 12-ball rally and stroking the winner.

Jean-Julien Rojer and Roman Borvanov’s opening event men’s doubles win, Huber and Sanchez topped the SPORTIMES’ duo of Hingis and Katie O’Brien, 5-1, to give the Aces (4-2) a commanding 10-3 match lead.  Witten swept a 5-0 third event over Borvanov to pull the hosts to within 10-8.  Huber and Rojer’s 5-2 win extended the Aces’ margin to 15-10 before Hingis’s heroics gave the SPORTIMES their fifth straight win.

New York visits first-place Washington in a battle of the top two teams in the Eastern Conference on Tuesday, while Western Conference-leading St. Louis continues its eastern swing against winless Philadelphia.

World TeamTennis
at New York
N.Y. SPORTIMES 16, St. Louis Aces 15
Men’s Doubles – Roman Borvanov/Jean-Julien Rojer (St. L.) def. Travis Parrott/Jesse Witten, 5-2
Women’s Doubles – Liezel Huber/Maria Sanchez (St. L.) def. Martina Hingis/Katie O’Brien, 5-1
Men’s Singles – Jesse Witten (N.Y.) def. Roman Borvanov, 5-0
Mixed Doubles – Liezel Huber/Jean-Julien Rojer  (St. L.) def. Martina Hingis/Travis Parrott, 5-2
Women’s Singles – Martina Hingis def. Maria Sanchez (Liezel Huber replaced Sanchez in Game 5), 5-0
Super Tiebreak – Martina Hingis def. Liezel Huber, 16-15

FINAL RESULTS – All matches complete:

Kansas City Explorers def. SPRINGFIELD LASERS 21-17 (OT)

Men’s Singles – Raven Klaasen (Lasers) def. Ricardo Mello (Explorers) 5-3

Women’s Singles – Madison Brengle (Explorers) def. Lilia Osterloh (Lasers) 5-1

Mixed Doubles – Ricardo Mello\Kveta Peschke (Explorers) def. Carly Gullickson\Paul Hanley (Lasers) 5-3

Women’s Doubles – Madison Brengle\Kveta Peschke (Explorers) def. Carly Gullickson\Lilia Osterloh (Lasers) 5-3

Men’s Doubles – Paul Hanley\Raven Klaasen (Lasers) def. Alex Kuznetsov\Ricardo Mello (Explorers) 5-2

Overtime – Men’s Doubles – Alex Kuznetsov\Ricardo Mello (Explorers) def. Paul Hanley\Raven Klaasen (Lasers) 1-0

ST LOUIS ACES def. Philadelphia Freedoms 25-11

Men’s Doubles – Roman Borvanov\Jean-Julien Rojer (Aces) def. Nathan Healey\Brendan Evans (Freedoms) 5-4

Men’s Singles – Roman Borvanov (Aces) def. Brendan Evans (Freedoms) 5-3

Mixed Doubles – Jean-Julien Rojer\Liezel Huber (Aces) def. Beatrice Capra\Nathan Healey (Freedoms) 5-3

Women’s Singles – Maria Sanchez (Aces) def. Beatrice Capra (Freedoms) 5-0

Women’s Doubles – Liezel Huber\Maria Sanchez (Aces) def. Beatrice Capra\Julia Cohen (Freedoms) 5-1

New York Sportimes def. NEWPORT BEACH BREAKERS 19-17 (OT)

Women’s Singles – Martina Hingis (Sportimes) def. Anne Keothavong (Breakers) 5-2

Mixed Doubles – Marie-Eve Pelletier\Travis Rettenmaier (Breakers) def. Martina Hingis\Travis Parrott (Sportimes) 5-3

Men’s Doubles – Jesse Witten\Travis Parrott (Sportimes) def. Travis Rettenmaier\Pete Sampras (Breakers) 5-0

Men’s Singles – Pete Sampras (Breakers) def. Jesse Witten (Sportimes) 5-3

Women’s Doubles – Anne Keothavong\Marie-Eve Pelletier (Breakers) def. Martina Hingis\Katie O Brien (Sportimes) 5-2

Overtime – Women’s Doubles – Martina Hingis\Katie O Brien (Sportimes) def. Marie-Eve Pelletier\Anne Keothavong (Breakers) 1-0

Washington Kastles def. SACRAMENTO CAPITALS 21-16

Mixed Doubles – Mark Knowles\Yasmin Schnack (Capitals) def. Leander Paes\Serena Williams (Kastles) 5-2

Women’s Doubles – Rennae Stubbs\Serena Williams (Kastles) def. Christina Fusano\Yasmin Schnack (Capitals) 5-4

Men’s Singles – Dusan Vemic (Capitals) def. Bobby Reynolds (Kastles) 5-4

Women’s Singles – Serena Williams (Kastles) def. Yasmin Schnack (Capitals) 5-0

Men’s Doubles – Leander Paes\Bobby Reynolds (Kastles) def. Mark Knowles\Dusan Vemic (Capitals) 5-2

Standings

Eastern Conference MP W L PCT MB

Washington Kastles         5  5  0 1.000  –

New York Sportimes         5  4  1 0.800  1

Boston Lobsters            4  2  2 0.500  2.5

Philadelphia Freedoms      5  0  5 0.000  5

Western Conference MP W L PCT MB

St Louis Aces              4  3  1  0.750  –

Newport Beach Breakers     5  3  2  0.600  0.5

Kansas City Explorers      4  1  3  0.250  2

Sacramento Capitals        4  1  3  0.250  2

Springfield Lasers         4  1  3  0.250  2

Next Matches: 7/10/2011

Boston Lobsters @ KANSAS CITY EXPLORERS, 6:35 PM (CDT)

Springfield Lasers @ ST. LOUIS ACES, 7:15 PM (CDT)

Newport Beach Breakers @ SACRAMENTO CAPITALS, 7:30 PM (PDT)

For live scoring and complete player / match statistics, please visit www.WTT.com

New York Sportimes def. PHILADELPHIA FREEDOMS 23-13 (OT)

Men’s Singles – Jesse Witten (Sportimes) def. Brendan Evans (Freedoms) 5-2

Women’s Doubles – Martina Hingis\Abigail Spears (Sportimes) def. Lisa Raymond\Beatrice Capra (Freedoms) 5-2

Mixed Doubles – Abigail Spears\Greg Jones (Sportimes) def. Nathan Healey\Lisa Raymond (Freedoms) 5-4

Women’s Singles – Martina Hingis (Sportimes) def. Beatrice Capra (Freedoms) 5-0

Men’s Doubles – Nathan Healey\Brendan Evans (Freedoms) def. Greg Jones\Jesse Witten (Sportimes) 5-2

Overtime – Men’s Doubles – Greg Jones\Jesse Witten (Sportimes) def. Brendan Evans\Nathan Healey (Freedoms) 1-0

WASHINGTON KASTLES def. Boston Lobsters 25-10

Women’s Doubles – Rennae Stubbs\Serena Williams (Kastles) def. Coco Vandeweghe\Mashona Washington (Lobsters) 5-2

Men’s Doubles – Leander Paes\Bobby Reynolds (Kastles) def. Eric Butorac\Jan-Michael Gambill (Lobsters) 5-1

Men’s Singles – Bobby Reynolds (Kastles) def. Jan-Michael Gambill (Lobsters) 5-2

Mixed Doubles – Serena Williams\Leander Paes (Kastles) def. Coco Vandeweghe\Eric Butorac (Lobsters) 5-1

Women’s Singles – Serena Williams (Kastles) def. Coco Vandeweghe (Lobsters) 5-4

ST LOUIS ACES def. Newport Beach Breakers 21-20

Men’s Doubles – Travis Rettenmaier\Lester Cook (Breakers) def. Roman Borvanov\Jean-Julien Rojer (Aces) 5-4

Men’s Singles – Roman Borvanov (Aces) def. Lester Cook (Breakers) 5-4

Mixed Doubles – Jean-Julien Rojer\Liezel Huber (Aces) def. Marie-Eve Pelletier\Travis Rettenmaier (Breakers) 5-3

Women’s Singles – Anne Keothavong (Breakers) def. Maria Sanchez (Aces) 5-2

Women’s Doubles – Maria Sanchez\Liezel Huber (Aces) def. Anne Keothavong\Marie-Eve Pelletier (Breakers) 5-3

Sacramento Capitals def. KANSAS CITY EXPLORERS 23-16 (OT)

Men’s Doubles – Mark Knowles\Nick Monroe (Capitals) def. Alex Kuznetsov\Ricardo Mello (Explorers) 5-3

Women’s Singles – Yasmin Schnack (Capitals) def. Madison Brengle (Explorers) 5-0

Men’s Singles – Nick Monroe (Capitals) def. Ricardo Mello (Explorers) 5-2

Mixed Doubles – Kveta Peschke\Alex Kuznetsov (Explorers) def. Yasmin Schnack\Mark Knowles (Capitals) 5-3

Women’s Doubles – Madison Brengle\Kveta Peschke (Explorers) def. Christina Fusano\Yasmin Schnack (Capitals) 5-4

Overtime – Women’s Doubles – Madison Brengle\Kveta Peschke (Explorers) tied Christina Fusano\Yasmin Schnack (Capitals) 1-1

Standings

Eastern Conference MP W L PCT MB

Washington Kastles         3  3  0 1.000  –

New York Sportimes         3  2  1 0.667  1

Boston Lobsters            3  1  2 0.333  2

Philadelphia Freedoms      3  0  3 0.000  3

Western Conference MP W L PCT MB

Newport Beach Breakers     3  2  1  0.667  –

St Louis Aces              3  2  1  0.667  0

Sacramento Capitals        2  1  1  0.500  0.5

Springfield Lasers         2  1  1  0.500  0.5

Kansas City Explorers      2  0  2  0.000  1.5

Next Matches: 7/8/2011

Philadelphia Freedoms @ BOSTON LOBSTERS, 7:00 PM (EDT)

Washington Kastles @ SPRINGFIELD LASERS, 7:05 PM (CDT)

New York Sportimes @ SACRAMENTO CAPITALS, 7:30 PM (PDT)

Newport Beach Breakers @ KANSAS CITY EXPLORERS, 7:35 PM (CDT)

NEW YORK SPORTIMES def. Boston Lobsters 21-16

Men’s Doubles – Greg Jones\Jesse Witten (Sportimes) def. Eric Butorac\Jan-Michael Gambill (Lobsters) 5-3

Women’s Singles – Martina Hingis (Sportimes) def. Coco Vandeweghe (Lobsters) 5-2

Men’s Singles – Jan-Michael Gambill (Lobsters) def. Jesse Witten (Sportimes) 5-3

Mixed Doubles – Coco Vandeweghe\Eric Butorac (Lobsters) def. Martina Hingis\Greg Jones (Sportimes) 5-3

Women’s Doubles – Martina Hingis\Abigail Spears (Sportimes) def. Mashona Washington\Coco Vandeweghe (Lobsters) 5-1

Washington Kastles def. PHILADELPHIA FREEDOMS 19-18

Men’s Singles – Brendan Evans (Freedoms) def. Bobby Reynolds (Kastles) 5-2

Women’s Doubles – Lisa Raymond\Beatrice Capra (Freedoms) def. Venus Williams\Rennae Stubbs (Kastles) 5-3

Men’s Doubles – Nathan Healey\Brendan Evans (Freedoms) def. Bobby Reynolds\Leander Paes (Kastles) 5-4

Women’s Singles – Venus Williams (Kastles) def. Beatrice Capra (Freedoms) 5-2

Mixed Doubles – Venus Williams\Leander Paes (Kastles) def. Lisa Raymond\Nathan Healey (Freedoms) 5-1

Newport Beach Breakers def. SPRINGFIELD LASERS 20-19

Men’s Singles – Raven Klaasen (Lasers) def. Lester Cook (Breakers) 5-2

Women’s Singles – Anne Keothavong (Breakers) def. Carly Gullickson (Lasers) 5-1

Men’s Doubles – Paul Hanley\Raven Klaasen (Lasers) def. Lester Cook\Travis Rettenmaier (Breakers) 5-3

Women’s Doubles – Anne Keothavong\Marie-Eve Pelletier (Breakers) def. Carly Gullickson\Lilia Osterloh (Lasers) 5-4

Mixed Doubles – Marie-Eve Pelletier\Travis Rettenmaier (Breakers) def. Carly Gullickson\Paul Hanley (Lasers) 5-4

ST LOUIS ACES def. Sacramento Capitals 21-16

Men’s Doubles – Jean-Julien Rojer\Roman Borvanov (Aces) def. Nick Monroe\Mark Knowles (Capitals) 5-2

Men’s Singles – Roman Borvanov (Aces) def. Nick Monroe (Capitals) 5-1

Mixed Doubles – Mark Knowles\Yasmin Schnack (Capitals) def. Jean-Julien Rojer\Liezel Huber (Aces) 5-3

Women’s Singles – Yasmin Schnack (Capitals) def. Maria Sanchez (Aces) 5-3

Women’s Doubles – Liezel Huber\Maria Sanchez (Aces) def. Christina Fusano\Yasmin Schnack (Capitals) 5-3

Standings

Eastern Conference MP W L PCT MB

Washington Kastles         2  2  0 1.000  –

Boston Lobsters            2  1  1 0.500  1

New York Sportimes         2  1  1 0.500  1

Philadelphia Freedoms      2  0  2 0.000  2

Western Conference MP W L PCT MB

Newport Beach Breakers     2  2  0  1.000  –

Springfield Lasers         2  1  1  0.500  1

St Louis Aces              2  1  1  0.500  1

Kansas City Explorers      1  0  1  0.000  1.5

Sacramento Capitals        1  0  1  0.000  1.5

Next Matches: 7/7/2011

New York Sportimes @ PHILADELPHIA FREEDOMS, 7:00 PM (EDT)

Boston Lobsters @ WASHINGTON KASTLES, 7:00 PM (EDT)

Newport Beach Breakers @ ST. LOUIS ACES, 7:15 PM (CDT)

Sacramento Capitals @ KANSAS CITY EXPLORERS, 7:35 PM (CDT)

For live scoring and complete player / match statistics, please visit www.WTT.com

NEWPORT BEACH BREAKERS def. St Louis Aces 19-18 (7-4 Supertiebreaker)

Mixed Doubles – Marie-Eve Pelletier\Travis Rettenmaier (Breakers) def. Liezel Huber\Jean-Julien Rojer (Aces) 5-4

Women’s Singles – Anne Keothavong (Breakers) def. Maria Sanchez (Aces) 5-3

Men’s Doubles – Jean-Julien Rojer\Roman Borvanov (Aces) def. Lester Cook\Travis Rettenmaier (Breakers) 5-2

Women’s Doubles – Liezel Huber\Maria Sanchez (Aces) def. Marie-Eve Pelletier\Anne Keothavong (Breakers) 5-1

Men’s Singles – Lester Cook (Breakers) def. Roman Borvanov (Aces) 5-1

Supertiebreaker – Men’s Singles – Lester Cook (Breakers) def. Roman Borvanov (Aces) 1-0 (7-4)

BOSTON LOBSTERS def. New York Sportimes 25-16

Men’s Singles – Jan-Michael Gambill (Lobsters) def. Jesse Witten (Sportimes) 5-2

Women’s Doubles – Mashona Washington\Coco Vandeweghe (Lobsters) def. Abigail Spears\Katie O Brien (Sportimes) 5-3

Men’s Doubles – Jan-Michael Gambill\Eric Butorac (Lobsters) def. Jesse Witten\Alex Bogdanovic (Sportimes) 5-4

Women’s Singles – Coco Vandeweghe (Lobsters) def. Abigail Spears (Sportimes) 5-4

Mixed Doubles – Coco Vandeweghe\Eric Butorac (Lobsters) def. Katie O Brien\Alex Bogdanovic (Sportimes) 5-3

WASHINGTON KASTLES def. Kansas City Explorers 21-18 (OT)

Men’s Doubles – Leander Paes\Bobby Reynolds (Kastles) def. Alex Kuznetsov\Ricardo Mello (Explorers) 5-4

Mixed Doubles – Leander Paes\Venus Williams (Kastles) def. Alex Kuznetsov\Christina McHale (Explorers) 5-3

Men’s Singles – Bobby Reynolds (Kastles) def. Alex Kuznetsov (Explorers) 5-1

Women’s Singles – Christina McHale (Explorers) def. Venus Williams (Kastles) 5-4

Women’s Doubles – Madison Brengle\Christina McHale (Explorers) def. Venus Williams\Rennae Stubbs (Kastles) 5-1

Overtime – Women’s Doubles – Venus Williams\Rennae Stubbs (Kastles) def. Madison Brengle\Christina McHale (Explorers) 1-0

Standings

Eastern Conference              MP W L PCT MB

Boston Lobsters                      1  1  0 1.000  –

Washington Kastles                1  1  0 1.000  0

New York Sportimes              1  0  1 0.000  1

Philadelphia Freedoms            1  0  1 0.000  1

Western Conference             MP W L PCT MB

Newport Beach Breakers        1  1  0  1.000  –

Springfield Lasers                   1  1  0  1.000  0

Sacramento Capitals               0  0  0  0.000  0.5

Kansas City Explorers            1  0  1  0.000  1

St Louis Aces                          1  0  1  0.000  1

Next Matches: 7/6/2011

Boston Lobsters @ NEW YORK SPORTIMES, 7:00 PM (EDT)

Washington Kastles @ PHILADELPHIA FREEDOMS, 7:00 PM (EDT)

Newport Beach Breakers @ SPRINGFIELD LASERS, 7:05 PM (CDT)

Sacramento Capitals @ ST. LOUIS ACES, 7:15 PM (CDT)

For live scoring and complete player / match statistics, please visit www.WTT.com

TIM CURRY: We have on the call with us live from Australia, U.S. Fed Cup Captain Mary Joe Fernandez. It’s 7:30 in the morning in Melbourne, and she’s preparing again today for ESPN commentary duties once again but is joining us to announce the U.S. Fed Cup team that will take on Belgium February 5th and 6th in Antwerp.
This is Mary Joe’s third year as U.S. Fed Cup Captain and she has successfully led the U.S. to the finals her first two years as captain. After introductory comments from Mary Joe, we will open up the call for Q&A. Mary Joe.
CAPTAIN FERNANDEZ: Good morning from Australia. Good afternoon there in the states. Just wanted to let everybody know how excited I am to be starting as Fed Cup captain this year. And it seems like when you end the year and start the year it’s very quick, there’s a big gap between the semis and finals, but there’s a quick turnaround between the finals and the first round. But here we go. Right after Australia we head over to Belgium. And I’m pleased to announce my team.
I have the same core group returning with Bethanie Mattek-Sands playing; Melanie Oudin; Liezel Huber, and Vania King will be joining us again, two-time majors doubles winner last year. She’s been on teams before.
And we’re excited to have her return. So we’re looking forward to it. We have our work cut out for us in Belgium against the top players. But we’re going to go give it our best shot. I have great faith in the team and the capabilities. And we’ll see what happens. So I open it up to questions.
THE MODERATOR: Questions?

Q. You mentioned having your work cut out for you. What sort of intimidation factor might there be with Belgium apparently bringing (Kim) Clijsters and Justine (Henin)?
CAPTAIN FERNANDEZ: Well, it’s pretty clear. They’re two of the best players to play the game. And Clijsters is still here playing today in the quarterfinals. Justine went out early.
To me, the Fed Cup is very different than a regular tour tournament. And, again, hopefully I can offer some advice when I’m on the court. And you just — you really approach it as this one unique match. And you try to do all you can to disrupt all the great things that both those players do.
It’s not easy. But it’s been done before. And you go out with a very positive attitude.

Q. And you had expected or hoped that Venus Williams might have been able to play this time and I’m wondering when you found out she wouldn’t be able to play?
CAPTAIN FERNANDEZ: Yes, Venus was going to play, and unfortunately she got hurt during the Australian Open and just confirmed with her just a couple of days ago about her injury and she wouldn’t be able to go.

Q. Obviously you’ve been to Australia and you’ve been watching Melanie and Bethanie and Vania and Liezel play. How impressed are you with how they’ve all started their years and how they’re looking now in the year?
CAPTAIN FERNANDEZ: Well, Liezel just won last night her doubles. She’s going to be playing in the semifinals later today with Nadia Petrova. And she’s been looking her usual prepared self and playing smart tennis on the doubles courts.
Bethanie had a great run down here in Australia winning the Hopman Cup with John Isner and then getting to the finals in a warm-up tournament before. She had a tough first-round match against actually a qualifier named (Arantxa) Rus. Was down a set in the break and fought really hard and came back and started up the match in the third and had a tough time closing it out.
But in the mixed doubles lost her doubles yesterday. So she’s been playing a lot of tennis, which is good. She’s match tough. She’s prepared.
Melanie had a tougher time down under, not winning any matches, and losing a tough three set match here in her first round here at the Australian Open. She’s not as confident. But Fed Cup seems to bring out the best in Melanie time and time again. And she’s practicing hard again this week. And we’ll be ready for her next week.
And Vania won her first round and then lost to (Caroline) Wozniacki in a tough second round. Wozniacki is still in the tournament. She’s in the semis. That was a tough drop for her. But she’s coming from last year playing two major finals and winning them in doubles, with (Yaroslava) Shvedova. She didn’t win here.
But she as well is back at home and starting to practice and get ready. So overall pretty good. They all have played matches and will be ready.

Q. I know obviously until you actually get down there and you are watching the girls play and everything, you don’t really know how you’re going to do it. But obviously Liezel and Bethanie have had a lot of success the last couple of years for you in doubles, yet obviously Vania has had great success at the Slams last year and everything. Do you have any inkling of what way you stay with the combination that’s been working or you go with Vania, or you just can’t even think about that yet?
CAPTAIN FERNANDEZ: I think about it. The nice thing about having Vania on the team, she’s very versatile, can play both singles and doubles. And I do make my decision sort of towards the end. We’ve changed our double teams a few times right before that fifth match.
Leaning at the start, definitely to go with the team that’s been there before. And that’s played. Having said that, Vania and Liezel have played a couple times at Fed Cup as well. They complement each other very well, too.
We’ll obviously have to play it by ear as it gets to the fifth match. But during the week we’ll have everybody practice doubles with each other, because you really have to be prepared for any situation. But that’s the good news having Vania is she can play many different roles.

Q. You talked about the timing. You also mentioned that. I would imagine having Fed Cup and having to travel on the heels of the Australian Open would not be what most people think is the most ideal timing.
CAPTAIN FERNANDEZ: It depends where you’re playing. It’s a tough flight, obviously, for me because I’m going straight from here. But for the ones that are back at home, it’s not as bad.
And we’re playing on a surface we like. It’s indoor hard. And we went to France last year and played well. So we’re used to it. We’re used to the travel. We’re used to the time changes and getting used to it.

Q. I was wondering if you could talk about Melanie and how have you seen her develop since her run at the U.S. Open a couple of years ago, and how she’s played last year for you at Fed Cup?
CAPTAIN FERNANDEZ: Sure. Melanie, not last year but the year before, was the Cinderella story of the US Open and it really started before that when she qualified at Wimbledon beating Jankovic along the way. She has so much determination. She works extremely hard.
In my mind, she’s improving, trying to get better. She’s not as focused on day-to-day results it is about getting better at her game. I think last year was a tough year for her.
I think players figured her game out. She had a little bit more of a target on her back. And I think it was a tough year for her to get used to all the attention, all the publicity and really the expectation of being the next great American.
She handles it well. She has a great head on her shoulders. For Fed Cup, she’s been instrumental, and I couldn’t ask for a better team player because she really puts the team first.
You’ve seen her play. She fights for every single ball from the first ball to the last. That’s what you want to see during team competition.
So she’ll get there again. I think she’s doing the right thing. She’s trying to get, develop a better serve, a little bit more power. She’s trying to become a little more offensive. For me, the important thing is if she can’t get away from her strength, from her movement, from her consistency. I think that’s really what got her the breakthrough and she’s got to have that balance and combination in her game.

Q. Is this going to be the key for her to jump to that top 20 level?
CAPTAIN FERNANDEZ: Again, I think her base is how quick she is and how well she can maneuver around the court and defend. For someone that tall, she really packs a pretty big punch with her forehand. She’s trying to learn to use that better and be a little more aggressive. You just can’t come, I think, too much outside your game sometimes and leave the consistency behind. So once she starts figuring out the balance of the two, I think that’s when she’s going to start winning a lot more matches.

TIM CURRY: While we wait for further questions to be queued, I wanted to mention that win or lose, the U.S. Fed Cup team will play their next match the weekend of April 16-17. If the U.S. wins, we will host the winner of the Slovak Repubic/Czech Republic quarterfinal. If we lose, we will be competing the World Group Playoff that weekend, most likely against one of the teams currently in World Group II, to determine our status for the 2012 Fed Cup.

Q. Just curious to get your thoughts on some of the results of some of the young American women, in particular Lauren Davis and Beatrice Capra, Christina (McHale), Coco (Vandeweghe), and if any of them will be coming along as practice partners to Belgium?
CAPTAIN FERNANDEZ: Sure. Lauren Davis will be coming along as one of our young players. Won the (USTA) wildcard playoff tournament to the Australian Open and lost to Sam Stosur in the first right here. And playing Juniors and had a tough win yesterday, and I think she’s on court again today. So I’m looking forward to having her there.
She’s won so many matches in the last season winning Juniors and Challengers and everything. So I think it’s something like 35, 36 matches. She’s definitely one to watch.
And we had eight American women in the main draw here that were 21 years old and younger, which was really nice to see, and that included Christina McHale and Coco Vandeweghe. Alison Riske, Jamie Hampton. So it was a nice break-through.
Unfortunately, they didn’t get past the first round. So we still have a lot of work to do. But they’re slowly getting there. I really believe that all these women should be in the top 100. They should be consistently getting into the majors and perhaps going a lot further and breaking the top 50. I think it was a big step to get so many in the main draw, whether it was through qualifying or like Lauren won the (USTA) wildcard tournament and got straight in risk got straight in, and (Irina) Falconi came thru qualifying as well. It’s definitely looking better. And the women are working hard.
I was down in Florida, the USTA Training Center in December, watching a lot of the girls practice and they’re taking it really seriously. And that’s why I really suspect a big jump from a lot of them here in 2011.

TIM CURRY: Many of the top young players that Mary Joe mentioned, including Coco Vandeweghe, Allison Riske and Irina Falconi, will be competing at the $100,000 USTA Pro Circuit event in Midland, Mich., the week following Fed Cup as well as some of the young players who have been part of previous U.S. Fed Cup teams such as Sloane Stephens, Alexa Glatch and Christina McHale. Qualifying in Midland actually begins while the Fed Cup matches are being contested.

Q. Did Jim Courier at all stop you or ask for any tips since he’s starting his captaincy and yet you recently did, I was wondering if you guys had any conversation on that?
CAPTAIN FERNANDEZ: We’ve had a few conversations about what a long road it’s been, two South Florida juniors have come through, and he is Davis Cup captain and I’m Fed Cup captain, how nice that is. I’ve known Jim forever. And I think he’s going to do a fantastic job. Tips, no. He jokes around all the time, how do I get to the final my first year. (Laughter)
But, again, he’s a great guy. He’s very smart. He knows his tennis. Strategy. Great camaraderie with all the U.S. men and looking forward to seeing him do great things with the Davis Cup team.

Q. Wondering your opinion on potentially Rafael Nadal can win the Nadal Slam, it won’t be a calendar slam, but it will be a non-calendar slam. Particularly in the men’s game, I know it’s been done in the women’s game, nobody’s done it since 1969. And when Rod did it as a calendar slam, if he does that how do you view that accomplishment?
CAPTAIN FERNANDEZ: I think it would be unbelievable. I mean, for him to get four in a row during a time where the competition is just so high would be outstanding and what I love about Nadal is his improvement, just in the last few years. I mean, every year he’s better. And for someone who just started off as a great clay quarter, you know, now he dominates on every surface. He’s remarkable. So he’s very close. I think he can do it.
And it would be just, it would be great to see because it has been a long time since it’s been done. And I think it would be great for tennis, too.

Q. Wanted to ask how have you treated putting on the different hats or roles of potential coach, friend, mentor, even parent sometimes to these young girls, and if you could talk about a situation where you’ve had to play those different roles?
CAPTAIN FERNANDEZ: Well, one of the things I really enjoy about Fed Cup and the week of Fed Cup is learning — now I have a sort of base group that I’m getting to know really well. But their personalities. I mean, everybody’s very different. Billie Jean King was my mentor, Fed Cup and Olympic captain.
And she’s always giving me such great advice about how you really have to treat each individual differently and learn what works with each one.
Some like to be talked to more, some less. When to find those moments. And the most important thing for me is to try to get the best out of them, to make them the best they can be. And it’s a challenge. But for me it’s very rewarding. It’s a lot of fun. And I enjoy following all these American women through the year. And at a time now where we’re really trying to develop the next generation of players, it’s fun. It’s been exciting, and I enjoy, when I watch them practice and see what their intentions are, what their goals are.
So you are, you’re coach, you’re friend, you’re trying to help any which way you can. And they become family, the ones that you deal with on a very frequent basis, and it’s been — I’ve said this before, it’s been a great experience. And one of the favorite things that I get to do.
TIM CURRY: Thank you.

“It is very exciting to qualify for the WTA Championships. We are thrilled to play in the prestigious event for the first time in each of our careers and look forward to competing in Doha against the best doubles teams in the world,” said Dulko.

“I’m so happy to qualify for the year-end Championships with Gisela as we are close friends on and off the court and it is very special for us,” added Pennetta.  “We have worked very hard this year and reaching the Championships is a perfect way to end the season.”

Dulko and Pennetta have played 13 tournaments together in 2010, winning five titles to take their career tally together to eight.  Earlier this season, they compiled a 17-match winning streak – the longest on Tour since March 2007 (when Cara Black and Liezel Huber won 22), which garnered three consecutive Premier-level titles at the Sony Ericsson Open (Miami), the Internazionali BNL d’Italia (Rome) and the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix (Stuttgart). Their run was finally stopped by Serena and Venus Williams at the Mutua Madrilena Madrid Open (Madrid), where Dulko and Pennetta finished as runners-up.

The second half of the season has been highlighted by two additional titles – the Rogers Cup (Montreal) and the Collector Swedish Open (Bastad).  Dulko and Pennetta also recorded strong Grand Slam results this year, reaching the semifinals at Wimbledon and the quarterfinals at the Australian Open, Roland Garros and the US Open.  Dulko and Pennetta have amassed an impressive 40-8 record as a team so far this season. Dulko also won a sixth doubles title this year, collecting the Copa BBVA Colsanitas (Bogota) with Edina Gallovits.

“I congratulate Gisela and Flavia on qualifying for the WTA Championships for the first time in their careers,” said Stacey Allaster, Chairman and CEO of the WTA. “They are an exciting and charismatic team and have worked incredibly hard to become the most consistent doubles champions during 2010.  Gisela and Flavia will make a great addition to the doubles roster during the WTA’s season finale in Qatar and it’s great that the fans will be able to watch them compete with the best doubles teams on Tour.”

Minutes later, they were moving their feet in unison on championship point, eye-to-eye with Liezel Huber and Nadia Petrova entrenched at net rapidly repelling every drive streaming at them with reflex volleys.

That’s when Shvedova took decisive action: She took touch to new heights.

Taking a small step back, Shvedova measured her shot and lofted an exquisite rainbow lob down the line directly over the 5-foot-10 Petrova’s head. Working the short court down the line is a difficult shot  under any circumstances — it’s downright demanding given the magnitude of the moment.

“Up! Up! Up! Up!” Huber urged, imploring her partner to take a leap at the sailing shot that carried championship hopes in its flight.

Petrova jumped, but the yellow ball floated like a runaway kite beyond her outstretched Babolat racquet,slowly spiraled in the air for what seemed to be several seconds before  kissing the corner of the blue court for a clean winner to complete a 2-6, 6-4, 7-6(4) victory as King and Shvedova captured their first US Open championship and second consecutive major following their title triumph at Wimbledon in July.

“For me, it was like slow motion. It’s like in the movie.  It’s unreal,” Shvedova said of her winning lob. “But for me it was like this. I saw the ball was so slow. Vania was on the left, I was just waiting, and I saw Nadia was trying to get it. Then I was like then she didn’t get it.  People start to scream, and I was like I didn’t feel like we won.  It was so strange.”

The stroke of genius was a shot of relief for King, who watched the end of the final exchange unfold in silent prayer.

“She played like 10 balls in a row.  It was like, ‘Okay.  Hit a winner, please hit a winner, please hit a winner, please hit a winner, please miss, please miss, ‘ ” King said of her internal emotional dialogue. “Then she hit the lob, and I was like, ‘Oh, my God, it’s deep.’  So if it goes in, we win.  If it doesn’t, we lose the point.  Then it’s the next point.  I was like, Go in, go in, go in, go in.”

It went in, but Shvedova, who hit also gorgeous backhand lob winner to hold serve at 5-6 and force the breaker, did not actually see the shot land. She felt its impact in King’s leap of joy.

“They didn’t call anything.  I turned to Vania, and Vania jumped.  I was like so happy,” Shvedova said.

Petrova, who would come in second place in emanating positive energy even if Eyore was her opponent in a singles match, had a slightly less enthusiastic response to the winner  — she flung her Babolat racquet in frustration at her court side chair.

“There’s nothing you can do. I mean, I could just applaud her,” Petrova said. “Well done.  We were trying out hard and to give all today, and absolutely no regret.”

The softest shot of the rally had the most resounding impact of the match, sealing the first US Open doubles for the pair, who raised their Grand Slam record together to 12-0. It’s a remarkable achievement when you consider King and Shvedova won only one match together during the US Open Series.

Sisters Venus Williams and Serena Williams had won six of the last nine Grand Slam doubles titles prior, but with Serena forced out of this Open with a foot injury the sisters were unable to defend their title. King and Shvedova, who became the first player from Kazakhstan to win a US Open title of any kind, saw the opportunity and made the most of it.

They have won the first two Grand Slam tournaments they’ve played and the speed of their success an ease of their partnership — they sometimes answer questions as if setting each other up for a response — has surprised both of them.

“I don’t think we expected it as well, because usually great pairs pair together for a long time to know each other, and they really get a feel for each other and become a true team,” King said. “We had that from the beginning.  I mean, we bonded together so well and we’re also good friends, which helped. Yeah, like she said, it’s strange. I mean, it’s amazing.”

Shvedova celebrated her 23rd birthday yesterday with King and a cake they ate inside the WTA Tour office upstairs inside Arthur Ashe Stadium. Birthday banter did not include the 6-2, 2-6, 5-4 deficit the pair faced when rain postponed the doubles final on Sunday, forcing the USTA to schedule completion of the match at 3 p.m. today.

“Then when they canceled us, we went to dinner, and we were just focusing on her birthday,” King said. “It’s pretty special for her, for her birthday.  And then today, yeah, we decided to make a long warm up.  We don’t really talk that much about tennis off the court.  Our coaches like to do that.”

Huber partnered with Bob Bryan to win the US Open mixed doubles title and has been a pivotal player on the United States’ Fed Cup team that will host Italy in the November 6-7th final at the San Diego Sports Arena. Huber, who has a charitable foundation and supports social causes around the Houston area, was philosophical in defeat.

“I think we, as athletes, are very fortunate.  We can bring something good from the sport back to the normal life,” Huber said. “We can kind of relate. So in the tough times that we, are and maybe when you lose a point or you lose a close match like this when you’ve actually had an opportunity, you could walk away from it and sulk and not learn, or you could just say, ‘Okay, this is an opportunity to grow.’  And if you do okay in the bad times, imagine how good you’re gonna do when times turn around.”

Doubles is often relegated to the outer courts in the shadows of Arthur Ashe Stadium on the grounds of the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. A sad irony when you consider both Ashe and King were outstanding doubles players and that most of the tennis-playing fans who watch the Open play doubles. But when you rewind the highlight reel of this US Open consider that two of the most spirited and excited matches of the Flushing Meadows fortnight were contested on the doubles court. Twins Bob and Mike Bryan outdueled India’s Rohan Bopanna and Pakistan’s Aisam-Ul-Haq Qureshi, 7-6(5), 7-6(4) to capture their third US Open championship and ninth Grand Slam title before an appreciative Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd that gave all four men a rousing ovation at the conclusion of a memorable match and King and Shvedova prevailed before a sparse, but adoring group of fans today.

There’s something about seeing two athletes put their heads, hearts and spirits together on the court. Two were truly one when it mattered most today.

“Doubles is a team sport.  It’s not like singles where sometimes it’s just power,” said King. “I mean, I think especially in the woman’s tennis there is a lot of finesse, a lot of touch. We try to play with combination.  I don’t think we play like a typical team, and I think it kind of throws off our opponents.  I think that people can see us playing and kind of aspire to that, you know, because it’s more about strategy where you place yourself, what shots to pick. You don’t have to be like 6’4″, 200 pounds and bash the ball.In doubles it’s a lot of creativity.”

Rich Pagliaro is the editor of TennisNow.com.

The Women’s Doubles Finals will now take place tomorrow at 3 p.m. It was suspended in the third set with set still on serve. The team of Liezel Huber and Nadia Petrova took the first set, 6-2 then the team of Vania King and Yaroslava Shvedova rebounded during the second set to win 6-4. Play was suspended when the third set was 5-4 Huber/Petrova hold a 0-15 lead in the 10^th game.

Then after that match – and not before 4 p.m. – the Men’s Finals will pit No. 2 seed Rafael Nadal against No. 3 seed Novak Djokovic. Nadal won his match over Mikhail Youzhny yesterday, 6-2 6-3 6-4. But Djokovic had to endure a 5-set classic over Roger Federer, 5-7 6-1 5-7 6-2 7-5.

With an extra day off, the rain may help Djokovic as he will be able to recover from the Federer showdown. Both Nadal and Djokovic are looking for their first US Open Championship.

New York, NY-USA

August 30-September 12, 2010

$22,668,000/Grand Slam

Hard/Outdoors

Thursday, September 9, 2010

Doubles – Semifinals

(6) King/Shvedova (USA/KAZ) d. (9) Black/Rodionova (ZIM/AUS) 63 46 64

Mixed Doubles – Final

(1) Liezel Huber/Bob Bryan (USA/USA) d. Kveta Peschke/Aisam-Ul-Haq Qureshi (CZE/PAK) 64 64