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E-mailWith Venus rising, U.S. pulls even with Slovenia
She routed Katarina Srebotnik 6-1, 6-2 Saturday, allowing the Americans to pull even with Slovenia after the first day of the Fed Cup.
Slovenia won the opener in the best-of-five first-round series when Tina Pisnik downed Lisa Raymond 7-5, 7-5. Raymond was erratic on a red clay court further slowed by a drizzle.
The clay became drier during the second match, and Williams took care of matters quickly, unleashing winners against an overmatched opponent weakened by a thigh injury in the second set.
"I've been getting better all week in practice here," Williams said. "I felt really good; I feel a lot more jolly."
The United States has won the Fed Cup 17 times, more than any other nation in the tournament's 40-year history. Last year, the Americans lost the final to France 4-1. The most recent U.S. Fed Cup title came in 2000.
The U.S. team, with Zina Garrison debuting as captain, also features 47-year-old Martina Navratilova and Laura Granville. Serena Williams is out with a knee injury.
"I expect us to go out and win every match, but it's going to be competitive," Garrison said. "I'm glad we are 1-1 and not down two."
In the other seven first-round matches, it was: Belgium 1, Croatia 1; Spain 1, Switzerland 1; Russia 2, Australia 0; Austria 2, Slovakia 0; Argentina 2, Japan 0; France 2, Germany 0; and Italy 2, Czech Republic 0.
Reverse singles and doubles are today.
Boxing
Cycling
Hockey
Lasse Pirjeta scored twice and Finland rallied to beat the United States, 4-2, yesterday, the first day of the hockey world championships. The Americans jumped to a 2-0 lead in the opening period, but Finland tied it in the second.
Off the field
A $7,350 check from track star Marion Jones' bank account was written to the founder of the California lab at the center of a performance-enhancing-drug scandal, a newspaper reported yesterday. Citing two people familiar with the bank records, The New York Times said the check was written to Victor Conte of the Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative. Jones' lawyers, while not disputing the check came from her account, said Friday that Jones had not signed or authorized the check.
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