Fed Cup: USA win 3-2 triumph with doubles

In the end, however, Coco Vandeweghe and Shelby Rogers and with them the US-American team were allowed to rebel over the Fed Cup victory in 2017.

For the first time in 17 years, USA tennis players have won the Fed Cup again. The record champion took 18th place. Title in the traditional team competition in the final doubles. Coco Vandeweghe and Shelby Rogers scored the decisive point in Minsk 3-2 against the Belarusian hosts.

The duo won against Aryna Sabalenka and Alisksandra Sasnovich 6-3,7-6 (7-3). This made Vandeweghe the final winner. The World Rankings ninth had also won their two singles against Sasnovich (6:4,6:4) and Sabalenka (7:6,6:1).

Vandeweghe prevented Sloane Stephens from becoming a tragic figure. The out of shape US Open winner had initially missed the potentially decisive 2-0 on Saturday when she lost to Sabalenka (3-6,6-3,4-6). On Sunday against Sasnovich, Stephens left the USA’s first match point behind. At 6-4,1-6,6-8, she lost a 5-2 lead and is still waiting for her first win since the triumph in New York.

While the guests were able to rely on US open semifinalist Vandeweghe, the final debutants from Belarus lacked the quality without their long-time top player Viktoria Azarenka. The two-time Australian Open winner is currently unable to leave California due to a continuing custody dispute over her one-year-old son Leo.

Belarus is the first-round opponent and host of the German team in February 2018. The DTB team had lost 4-0 to the USA in Hawaii this season, but then won against the Ukraine in Stuttgart (3-2) in the World Group Relegation.