World No. 1 Doubles Player Liezel Huber And 2009 US Open Quarterfinalist Melanie Oudin To Lead U.S. In Fed Cup Quarterfinal Versus France
USTA January 27, 2010
Photo: Maurizio Lagana/Getty Images
Liezel Huber of USA plays during the Fed Cup World Group double's Final between Italy and the USA at Circolo Tennis Rocco Polimeni on November 8, 2009 in Reggio Calabria, Italy. She will also compete in the 2010 Fed Cup against France.
WHITE PLAINS, N.Y., January 27, 2010 -- The USTA and U.S. Fed Cup Captain Mary Joe Fernandez announced today that 2009 US Open quarterfinalist Melanie Oudin and World No. 1 doubles player Liezel Huber will lead the U.S. as it faces France in the 2010 Fed Cup by BNP Paribas World Group Quarterfinal. Oudin and Huber, both members of the 2009 team that reached the Fed Cup final for the first time since 2003, will be joined by Bethanie Mattek-Sands, who helped defeat the Czech Republic in the 2009 Fed Cup semifinal, and Shenay Perry. The quarterfinal tie will be contested on a red clay court at the Stade Couvert Regional Lievin in Lievin, France, on February 6-7.
The best-of-five match series begins on Saturday, February 6 with two singles matches and is followed by two reverse singles matches and the doubles match on Sunday, February 7. Tennis Channel will present daily live coverage beginning at 8:30 a.m. ET on Saturday and 8:00 a.m. ET on Sunday.
"After reaching the Fed Cup final in 2009, I know the team is committed to working hard again this year, starting next weekend in France," said U.S. Fed Cup Captain Mary Joe Fernandez. "Liezel is unquestionably our team leader and proves that on and off the court. I'm happy to bring back Melanie, whose toughness and fortitude are important attributes when playing in the Fed Cup competition. Bethanie is a great team player and really came through for the team in the semifinal match in the Czech Republic, and I am excited to have Shenay who is very talented and has prior Fed Cup experience. I am proud of our team for making the final last year, and I look forward to a strong campaign in 2010."
Huber, 33, became a U.S. citizen on July 25, 2007, with the hopes of playing for the U.S. at the 2008 Olympic Games. Huber, a four-time Grand Slam doubles champion who won the 2008 US Open, finished the 2009 season tied for No. 1 in the world doubles rankings for the third consecutive year. Born in South Africa, Huber spent four years on the South African Fed Cup team and posted a 9-3 overall record (9-2 doubles) in 12 ties - all on red clay. She has won three of her four career matches for the U.S. in Fed Cup play, including tie-clinching matches with partner Julie Ditty against Argentina in the 2009 quarterfinal and with Bethanie Mattek-Sands against the Czech Republic to send the U.S. to the 2009 Fed Cup final.
Oudin, 18, will be making her fourth straight appearance for the U.S. Fed Cup team after earning a key singles victory against Argentina with the U.S. facing a 2-1 deficit in the 2009 quarterfinal. Oudin shot up the rankings in 2009 after a breakthrough year and is currently ranked No. 48 in the world. She defeated former World No. 1 Jelena Jankovic en route to a fourth round appearance at Wimbledon, and made headlines when she upset 2008 Olympic Gold Medalist Elena Dementieva and former World No. 1 Maria Sharapova in three set matches to become the youngest American quarterfinalist at the US Open since 1999. Oudin also won back-to-back USTA Pro Circuit titles at $50,000 events in Indian Harbour Beach, Fla., and Raleigh, N.C., last May.
Mattek-Sands, 24, will make her second Fed Cup appearance for the U.S. after teaming with Liezel Huber to win the doubles rubber and clinch the 2009 World Group semifinal tie against the Czech Republic. Mattek-Sands reached a career-high ranking of No. 37 last March, and she won three Sony Ericsson WTA Tour doubles titles in 2009. Mattek-Sands is currently ranked No. 154 in the world.
Perry, 25, will make her first Fed Cup appearance for the U.S. since the 2006 World Group quarterfinal, when the U.S. defeated Germany 3-2. In 2009, Perry won two singles titles on the USTA Pro Circuit at $75,000 events in Dothan, Ala., and Albuquerque, N.M., and she also qualified for the 2009 US Open and reached the second round. Perry reached a career-high ranking of No. 40 in 2006, and she is currently ranked No. 107.
The U.S. is 10-1 all-time against France in Fed Cup competition, but lost the last meeting between the two countries in the 2003 Fed Cup final. Amelie Mauresmo and Mary Pierce combined to sweep the first three singles matches over Lisa Raymond and Meghann Shaughnessy to give France just its second Fed Cup title.
Fed Cup by BNP Paribas is the world's largest annual international women's team competition with 87 countries competing this year. The United States leads all nations with 17 Fed Cup titles - the last coming in 2000 - and is one of eight nations which will compete for the 2010 Fed Cup title as part of the Fed Cup World Group. For more information, including access to player and historical Fed Cup records, please go to www.usta.com.
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