Doubles only for Venus as Serena leads US in Fed Cup

NEW YORK: Serena Williams will lead the United States in their Fed Cup World Group-II tie against Victoria Azarenka-led Belarus in Massachusets this weekend, with elder sister Venus scheduled to play only doubles.

In the draw made Friday, US captain Mary Joe Fernandez inserted 38th-ranked Christina McHale as her No. 2 singles player. McHale will have the daunting task of opening the best-of-five match tie against Azarenka, whose Australian Open triumph saw her rise to No. 1 in the world.

Venus Williams is a seven-time Grand Slam champion, but hasn't played since pulling out of the US Open, when she announced she had been diagnosed with the auto-immune disorder Sjogren Syndrome.

Serena Williams will play the second singles match on Saturday against 97th-ranked Olga Govortsova.

Serena and Azarenka will then clash in the reverse singles.

The winners of the World Group-II tie will advance to the World Group Playoff and play for a chance to reach the elite group and compete for the Fed Cup title in 2013.

The United States has been a record 17-time Fed Cup champion and is playing in the World Group-II for the first time.

Belarus is trying to get beyond the World Group-II for the first time. (AFP)