Fed Cup - USA vs Latvia was some great tennis!

A first round Fed Cup tie between the United States and Latvia was held in Everett, WA, just North of Seattle, this weekend, and it was a great event in many ways.  The venue was very good, the crowds were pro-USA but very fair, the USTA had things very organized, and the tennis on the court was very good to boot.

On both Friday and Saturday during introductions, Serena had the loudest cheers, but Kenin who was introduced last as the new Aussie Open champ was very close behind.

Kenin led Friday off with a 6-2,6-2 win over Sevastova, with just very solid play.  Serena and Ostapenko then had a tight match with just a few breaks each way going to two tie-breaks, and Ostapenko was up a mini-break early in each but Serena came through 7-6,7-6.

Saturday felt like the USA would wrap it up in the singles, but Latvia came to play and Ostapenko strung together enough stretches of great play to beat Kenin in a third set.  After seeing how Kenin took it to Sevastova on Friday, one had to think that Serena would have no problem, but, IMHO, Serena didn't look 100%, but spinning serves in at points and not moving as well as normal and she found herself in a tie-break in the 3rd set which she lost.

Suddenly it is 2-2 and the doubles matters!  Of course, I'm also thinking I'm glad Fed Cup didn't switch to a 4-court format as we'd be 2-2 and going to goofy tie-breakers to decide who advances to Budapest!

While Latvia brought more players, it was pretty clear they'd be bringing back Ostapenko and Sevastova, and while the USA had listed Mattek-Sands and Riske as the doubles team, in a must win situation they inserted Kenin for Riske to reunite a pair that won several rounds in Australia.

The first set was competitive on the scoreboard, 6-4 for the USA, but they had several other chances to break and were never troubled on their serve, and the second set bore that out as they raced to a 6-0 clinching set.  Fatigue may have been a bit of an issue for the Latvians, but I think it was more the doubles play of Mattek-Sands and Kenin.  Bethany is a proven winner in doubles having been ranked #1, but Kenin more than held her own and impressed me and others with her doubles prowess.

So the USA pulls it out and is on to the Fed Cup Finals, aka the World Cup of Tennis, in Budapest April 14-19.  Go USA!