Without Williamses, US faces tough test vs. Italy

By ANDREW DAMPF,

REGGIO CALABRIA, Italy (AP) Without both Serena and Venus Williams, the United States is relying on the players that got the team into the Fed Cup final against Italy this weekend.

The young American squad is led by 18-year-old Melanie Oudin - the surprise U.S. Open quarterfinalist - and 20-year-old Alexa Glatch, with experienced doubles specialist Liezel Huber in the team leader role.

First Venus, then top-ranked Serena told United States captain Mary Joe Fernandez they wouldn't make it for the best-of-five series on red clay at the Rocco Polimeni club. The sisters met in the final of the season-ending tour championship on Sunday.

"Last week was a tough week. I found out about Venus in the beginning of the week and Serena Friday night, so disappointing for all of us," Fernandez said Thursday. "We were really looking forward to having them on the team.

"Obviously they're the United States' best players, and the best players in the world, so it would have been a huge bonus to have them here. Having said that, this is the team I know the best, and the team that has gotten us here."

Oudin won a key singles match in this year's opening round against Argentina, Glatch took both of her singles encounters against the Czech Republic in the semifinals, and Huber won decisive doubles matches in both.

Neither Serena nor Venus has played Fed Cup since 2007.

"We can't force anybody to do something they don't want to do," Fernandez said. "That's something I learned from (former United States captain) Billie Jean King, you want a team that wants to be there. You can't force it on anyone to play for their country."

The draw is scheduled for Friday, with matches on Saturday and Sunday.

Italy features two top-20 players in Flavia Pennetta and Francesca Schiavone, both of whom have had career seasons.

Pennetta won back-to-back titles in Palermo, Sicily, and Los Angeles on her way to becoming the first female Italian player to reach the top 10; and Schiavone won a $1 million title in Moscow and reached a final in Osaka, Japan, last month.

Pennetta pulled out in Moscow with a leg injury but said she's fully healthy now.

"I started to play normal again last week," she said. "This is a good chance for us. The court is good and we're in good condition."

Glatch routed Pennetta 6-1, 6-1 in the first round of this year's French Open.

"I wasn't ready to play that match," Pennetta said. "We'll see what happens Saturday."

Italy, which beat Belgium to take the 2006 title, is playing its third final in four years. The Italians defeated former champion France in the opening round and ousted defending champion Russia in the semifinals.

"I think they have the right spirit for this type of competition," Italy captain Corrado Barazzutti said of his squad, which was also runner-up to Russia in 2007. "They have good results on tour but when they play Fed Cup they bring something extra. They're not only playing for themselves, they're playing for their country."

The United States has won a record 17 Fed Cups but is on a dry streak stretching back to 2000. The Americans have won all nine of their previous meetings with Italy, but Fernandez acknowledged that the hosts are the favorites this time.

The top-ranked American player is Oudin at No. 49, but rankings often don't mean much in team play.

"It's a very different feeling and way of approaching things," Fernandez said. "We were the underdogs the first two times, with a pretty big difference in rankings, especially in the Czech Republic, and we came out with the win. So yes, they're the favorites on paper, and it's tougher for us because we're away again, but you try your best and you do whatever you can under the situation that you're in."

Oudin collected the inaugural Fed Cup Heart award from ITF president Francesco Ricci Bitti and dedicated the $5,000 (3,350) check to the Egleston children's hospital in her hometown of Marietta, Georgia.

Updated November 5, 2009