The United States faces off against Argentina this weekend in a Fed Cup World Group II tie and the new qualification rules for the 2016 Olympics has brought out the big guns for the U.S. in Serena and Venus Williams.
In 2012 the ITF changed the qualification rule for the 2016 Olympics, a player must make themselves available to play Davis Cup or Fed Cup four times in an Olympic cycle. The old rule only required players to make themselves available for two ties hence why the Williams sisters are playing a match they normally would probably skip.
The addition of the Williams sisters will go a long way to helping the U.S. get back in to the World Group I for 2016 especially if they play again later this year. The Americans fell out of the World Group I last year for just the second time since the Fed Cup’s current format which was introduced in 1995. Argentina will host the tie at the Pilara Tennis Club in Buenos Aires on outdoor red clay. The United States leads the all time head to head 3-1 against Argentina.
Joining the Williams sisters is Coco Vandeweghe and Taylor Townsend. Originally Madison Keys and Varvara Lepchenko were chosen but Keys was forced to withdraw with a thigh injury and Lephcenko is recovering from illness.
Townsend is a extremely talented young American who is currently ranked No. 96 in the world. The 18-year-old’s biggest achievement to date is winning the 2012 Junior Australian Open. Townsend was originally scheduled to travel with the team as a practice partner before Keys and Lepchenko pulled out. While most fans know her for her singles game the young lefty is a very good doubles player, she made it to the 2013 Citi Open doubles finals with Eugenie Bouchard and made it to the mixed doubles semifinals at last year’s US Open.
Coco Vandeweghe made it to the third round of this year’s Australian Open before losing to fellow American Madison Brengle. She is currently ranked No. 32 in the world. Her only Fed Cup appearance came in 2010 where she lost both her singles matches against Italy. The 23-year-old is a solid singles player and while she has played doubles it is clear that is not her forte.
Argentina comes in to the match with mostly unknown players on their roster. Paula Ormaechea is their highest ranked singles player at No. 121 and Maria Irigoyen is their highest ranked doubles player at No. 86 in the world. Irigoyen is the oldest player at 27 years old. Almost 18 year old Nadia Podoroska and Tatiana Bua fill out the rest of the Argentinean line up. Podoroska is a promising singles player while Bua’s strengths lie in her doubles game.
This is a nightmare match up for Argentina especially given that the Williams sisters are playing. The biggest advantage for Argentina is that they are playing on red clay and the Americans have spent their recent time on the hard courts down under. Still the United States should run away with the tie.
The Williams sisters will likely all live rubbers unless Venus is not feeling 100%. If the US does win the first three rubbers expect Townsend and Lepchenko to be subbed in for the remaining matches. Despite the tough match up the experience will be good for a young Argentinean team and as well as for Townsend and Lepchenko. The winner will play in a World Group Playoff on April 18-19 for a chance to start 2016 in World Group 1.
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