STARNBERG, November 8, 2017
The United States will compete for its first Fed Cup title since 2000 when it faces Belarus in the 2017 Fed Cup by BNP Paribas World Group Final. The best-of-five match series will take place on an indoor hard court at Chizhovka Arena in Minsk, November 11-12.
Play begins on Saturday, November 11, at 2:30 p.m. local time with two singles matches. On Sunday, play will continue, starting at 2:00 p.m. local time with two reverse singles matches and the doubles match. A revised schedule for Sunday may take place if a team clinches in the third or fourth match. Tennis Channel will provide live daily coverage.
“The fall season was really difficult for me. It’s very hard to find any motivation after US Open because it’s such a big tournament for the American players. It was mostly kind of Pat dragging me through the fall season in reality,” CoCo Vandeweghe told about her rise over the last several months during a media conference call with the United States Fed Cup Team.
“I didn’t really even know top 10 was capable from just ranking points, all the stuff that goes with the WTA rankings, which I don’t really understand, but not my job to understand, I just play tennis, which is the good part. Just really happy to kind of finish off my year with these girls, playing in the final right now.”
Vandeweghe was joined by Captain Kathy Rinaldi, as well as her team mates Sloane Stephens, Shelby Rogers and Alison Riske.
“We’re very excited to be here in the final,” Rinaldi is looking forward to the tie. “It’s been a fantastic year for Fed Cup, for American tennis for the women. Happy to share this final with the four girls. We’ve had a great week thus far, good practices, solid, productive. We’re having a lot of fun.”
The Official Draw Ceremony for the U.S. vs. Belarus Fed Cup World Group Final will take place at 12:00 p.m. local time on Friday, November 10, at City Hall.
The winner of this tie will win the Fed Cup title. The U.S. Fed Cup team made its last appearance in the final in 2010, falling to Italy, 3-1, in San Diego. The U.S. won the last of its record 17 Fed Cup titles in 2000. Belarus is competing in its first Fed Cup Final.
The U.S. Fed Cup Team is travelling to Belarus for the first time and holds a 1-0 record over the country. The U.S. swept Belarus, 5-0, in the World Group II First Round in February 2012 in Worcester, Mass.
