SPORTS: Williamses double up at Fed Cup

Williamses double up at Fed Cup

By Compiled from Times wires
© St. Petersburg Times
published April 26, 2003

LOWELL, Mass. - Venus and Serena Williams will do double duty for the United States in the first round of the Fed Cup against the Czech Republic.

Venus Williams plays the opening match today against Daja Bedanova, followed by Serena Williams against Iveta Benesova. On Sunday, they'll switch opponents and play another pair of singles matches.

The Williams sisters also are scheduled to play doubles against Eva Birnerova and Klara Koukalova. Doubles players can be changed up to 15 minutes before the match.

Serena Williams is the top-ranked women's player in the world, and her older sister is No.3. The U.S. squad includes No.19 Meghann Shaughnessy and No.26 Alexandra Stevenson.

Bedanova is the top player on the Czech team, at No.44.

U.S. captain Billie Jean King said she was not worried that her players would be overconfident when they play at the Tsongas Arena.

"The better you get, the more you understand that you can never take anything for granted," she said. "To keep themselves at such a high level, all these players know that they have to keep working hard. Overconfidence isn't something we have to worry about."

Czech captain Petra Langrova-Pichalova said that being an overwhelming underdog takes all the pressure off her team.

"The U.S. team is very strong," she said. "I just tell the girls we have nothing to lose. The girls can feel free and try to play the best tennis they can."

Agassi one win from No.1

HOUSTON - Andre Agassi breezed past his third consecutive opponent at the U.S. Men's Clay Court Championships and moved within one victory of becoming the oldest men's player to be ranked No.1 in the world.

"To be No.1 is a reflection of playing the best tennis over a 52-week period, and it's not easy," Agassi said. "It's a result of not just playing well but playing well often. I always want to prove it every time I'm on the court - prove I'm the best every time regardless of what you're ranked."

Agassi needed 43 minutes to defeat Ricardo Mello 6-0, 6-1 to reach the semifinals.

A victory today would give Agassi enough points to surpass Lleyton Hewitt for the top ranking in the world.

Agassi, who will turn 33 on Tuesday, would surpass Jimmy Connors as the oldest to rank No.1. Connors was No.1 on June 13, 1983, at 30 years, 10 months.

Hewitt has been ranked No.1 for 75 straight weeks. He has a 16-2 match record this year but did not play this week.

In an earlier quarterfinal match, Olivier Mutis eliminated third-seeded James Blake of Tampa 6-4, 6-7 (3-7), 6-1. Mutis faces second-seeded Andy Roddick, who beat Fernando Meligeni 6-3, 4-6, 6-4.

OPEN SEAT GODO: Top-seeded Juan Carlos Ferrero reached the semifinals by winning his ninth straight match, 6-4, 6-4 over Gustavo Kuerten in Barcelona, Spain.

Ferrero, who won the Monte Carlo Masters last weekend, faces Marat Safin today. Safin beat Gaston Gaudio 6-4, 4-6, 7-5.

Second-seeded Carlos Moya beat Nikolay Davydenko 6-3, 6-4 to advance. Moya faces Agustin Calleri in the other semifinal. Calleri defeated Tommy Robredo 6-7 (1-7), 6-4, 6-4 in a tough match that lasted 2 hours, 27 minutes.

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