Serena Leads American Charge Back to World Group

By Chris Oddo

Photo Credit: Steven Senne / AP

(April 22, 2012)—After a brief demotion, the U.S. is heading back to the World Group.

 

Serena Williams, undefeated in Fed Cup play, notched a 6-3, 6-2 victory over Lesia Tsurenko to give the Americans an insurmountable lead against the Ukraine in Kharkiv today.

 

The victory sends the American team back to the World Group for 2013. For the first time in Fed Cup history, the 17-time champions had been relegated to a lower tier of the competition this season.

 

But thanks largely in part to the contributions of Serena Williams, the Americans won consecutive ties—at home versus Belarus in February and this weekend against the Ukraine—to gain the promotion.

 

“Being out of the World Group for the first time, we wanted to get back as quickly as possible,” said US Captain Mary Joe Fernandez. “It was great that we were able to do it in this fashion. Now we get a chance next year to compete for the title.”

 

Williams’ tie-clinching victory was her eighth career Fed Cup singles victory without a loss. It was not as breezy as the scoreline suggests. After Williams broke to take a 3-2 lead in the first set, she had to fight through an eight-deuce game in which she double-faulted three times and faced two break points.

 

Finally she sealed the game with an ace, and went on to close out the set 6-3.

 

“I had so many game points, I kept losing them,” said Williams. “It was good for me to win that game.”

 

Will she be playing Fed Cup when the Americans contest the World Group in 2013?

 

“Definitely,” Serena said.

 

Christina McHale won her second match of the weekend in the fourth rubber, 7-5, 6-3 over Elina Svitolina. After winning the first set, McHale fell behind 3-0 in the second. She then took the final six games to secure the victory.

 

In the doubles Liezel Huber and Sloane Stephens completed the American sweep with a 6-4, 6-1 win over Lyudmyla and Nadiya Kichenok.