Federation Cup Tennis Tournament

One week after winning her fourth Wimbledon title, Venus Williams returned home to win another big match for herself, her sister Serena and her country. But it wasn't easy. Williams overcame a terrible second set to beat Nadia Petrova, 7-6 (6), 0-6, 6-4, on Saturday to tie the Fed Cup semifinal match between the United States and Russia at 1-1. Earlier Saturday, Anna Chakvetadze gave Russia a lead by dominating Vania King, 6-1, 6-3.

One week after winning her fourth Wimbledon title, Venus Williams returned home to win another big match for herself, her sister Serena and her country. But it wasn't easy. Williams overcame a terrible second set to beat Nadia Petrova, 7-6 (6), 0-6, 6-4, on Saturday to tie the Fed Cup semifinal match between the United States and Russia at 1-1. Earlier Saturday, Anna Chakvetadze gave Russia a lead by dominating Vania King, 6-1, 6-3.

Federation Cup captain Zina Garrison announced Wednesday that 47-year-old Martina Navratilova will join her Olympic doubles partner, Lisa Raymond, as well as Chanda Rubin and Jill Craybas, on a U.S. team that will play in the quarterfinals in Innsbruck against Austria. Missing from the team are four top-10 players -- Serena and Venus Williams, Jennifer Capriati and Lindsay Davenport.

Federation Cup captain Zina Garrison announced Wednesday that 47-year-old Martina Navratilova will join her Olympic doubles partner, Lisa Raymond, as well as Chanda Rubin and Jill Craybas, on a U.S. team that will play in the quarterfinals in Innsbruck against Austria. Missing from the team are four top-10 players -- Serena and Venus Williams, Jennifer Capriati and Lindsay Davenport.

Fountain Valley's Debbie Graham will join Gigi Fernandez, Lori McNeil and Pam Shriver on the U.S. team, which opens Federation Cup play against Britain today in Frankfurt, Germany. The United States, which has won this tournament--the women's equivalent of the Davis Cup--a record 14 times since its inception in 1963, is seeded sixth in the 32-team field. Martina Navratilova, a six-time member of U.S.

Everything was going so well for Billie Jean King on Thursday morning. She was at a gathering, not far from Wimbledon, making an announcement that the British company Shock Absorber would make up the $70,000 difference in prize money between the men's singles champion and the women's singles champion here this year. King, captain of the U.S. Fed Cup team, remained fine, even when questions turned to the Fed Cup controversy, her dispute with Lindsay Davenport.

An American no-show did nothing to dim Belgium's first Fed Cup title. "It would have been great if they were here, but they weren't," said Justine Henin, after she and Kim Clijsters took rapid-fire straight-set victories over Russia in Sunday's final at Madrid, Spain. "We were the favorites here but we had to prove it on the court and we did it," Henin said. "It's a great victory for a little country with two young players and a great team." Henin beat Nadia Petrova, 6-0, 6-3, in 50 minutes.

The U.S. women's team at the Federation Cup tennis tournament--the women's equivalent of the Davis Cup--swept Britain, 3-0, in the first round of the event at Frankfurt, Germany. Gigi Fernandez beat Monique Javer, 6-4, 6-1; Lori McNeil defeated Jo Durie, 7-5, 6-3, and Pam Shriver and Debbie Graham beat Durie and Clare Wood, 6-4, 7-6 (8-6).

Everything was going so well for Billie Jean King on Thursday morning. She was at a gathering, not far from Wimbledon, making an announcement that the British company Shock Absorber would make up the $70,000 difference in prize money between the men's singles champion and the women's singles champion here this year. King, captain of the U.S. Fed Cup team, remained fine, even when questions turned to the Fed Cup controversy, her dispute with Lindsay Davenport.

An American no-show did nothing to dim Belgium's first Fed Cup title. "It would have been great if they were here, but they weren't," said Justine Henin, after she and Kim Clijsters took rapid-fire straight-set victories over Russia in Sunday's final at Madrid, Spain. "We were the favorites here but we had to prove it on the court and we did it," Henin said. "It's a great victory for a little country with two young players and a great team." Henin beat Nadia Petrova, 6-0, 6-3, in 50 minutes.

Fountain Valley's Debbie Graham will join Gigi Fernandez, Lori McNeil and Pam Shriver on the U.S. team, which opens Federation Cup play against Britain today in Frankfurt, Germany. The United States, which has won this tournament--the women's equivalent of the Davis Cup--a record 14 times since its inception in 1963, is seeded sixth in the 32-team field. Martina Navratilova, a six-time member of U.S.

The No.1-seeded United States team, with Chris Evert in top form, will meet Czechoslovakia and Spain will face Australia in today's semifinals of the Federation Cup women's tennis tournament. The United States beat eighth-seeded Austria, 3-0, and No. 3 Czechoslovakia defeated fifth-seeded West Germany, 2-1, in Friday's quarterfinals. Second-seeded Spain and unseeded Australia won their quarterfinal matches Thursday. Evert, ranked No.

Rick Leach of Laguna Beach and Jim Pugh of Palos Verdes culminated a memorable first season as full-time partners Sunday by winning the Masters Doubles title with a 6-4, 6-3, 2-6, 6-0 victory over Spain's Sergio Casal and Emilio Sanchez. Leach and Pugh, friends and rivals as teen-agers and college players, shared the top prize of $72,000 for their victory at London's Royal Albert Hall. "I can't believe it," Leach said. "What a turnaround from the first match. I never expected this."