WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. (AP) — Teenager Coco Vandeweghe is joining Melanie Oudin, Bethanie Mattek-Sands and doubles specialist Liezel Huber on the U.S. team that will face Italy in the Fed Cup final.
With Serena and Venus Williams sidelined by injuries, U.S. captain Mary Joe Fernandez picked the 115th-ranked Vandeweghe on Tuesday for the Nov. 6-7 Fed Cup final on an indoor hard court at the San Diego Sports Arena.
The 18-year-old Vandeweghe is the niece of former NBA general manager Kiki Vandeweghe. Fernandez says her big serve, heavy groundstrokes and slice give the team “a different sort of game to add.”
The United States hasn’t won a Fed Cup title since 2000 and lost to Italy in last year’s final.
