For tennis enthusiasts, this weekend offers an excellent opportunity to see top-level professional tennis when the La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club hosts the quarterfinal Fed Cup match between the United States and Germany.
The USA team will be led by Lindsay Davenport, former No. 1 player in the world, who has recently returned to the pro tour after taking a year off for the birth of her first child. The U.S. Open in 2006 was Davenport’s last appearance in a professional tennis event in the United States. She has been a stalwart performer in Fed Cup, not having lost a match since 1994 and leading the USA to three Fed Cup titles in 1996, ’99 and 2000.
Joining Davenport on the team will be Lisa Raymond, Ashley Harkelroad and Laura Granville. Raymond has long been ranked one of the premiere doubles players in the world and is currently at No. 3.
Representing Germany will be Tatjana Malek, Julia Goerges, Sabine Lisicki and Anna-Lena Groenefeld. Malek has the highest ranking of the team at No. 83 in the world.
Noticeably absent from the USA team are Venus and Serena Williams, who struggled with injuries during the recent Australian Open before losing without reaching the finals. Despite not having the Williams sisters, the USA is still heavily favored to win based on the strength and experience of Davenport and Raymond. The team is coached by former Top 10 player Zina Garrison.
Fed Cup is similar to the Davis Cup played by the men. Over the course of the year, countries compete against each other in a single elimination “tournament,” with the top two countries eventually meeting for the championship.
Both Fed Cup and Davis Cup matches are often noted for competitors “playing out of their head” far beyond their normal pro tour results, with credit largely given to the emotions that come from playing on a team while representing one’s country.
Most players and coaches say rankings have little to do with how someone might play in a Fed Cup or Davis Cup match.
The event begins on Saturday, Feb. 2 at noon with two singles matches. On Sunday, Feb. 3, matches start at 10:30 a.m. with two singles matches followed by a doubles match.
Tickets are on sale and can be purchased by calling (888) 334-USTA (8782) and online at www.ticketmaster.com. Tickets will be sold as a two-day series with prices ranging from $60 to $300, with special courtside tickets available. The Tennis Channel will also be televising the event.
For more information, including a diagram of stadium seating, visit www.ljbtc.com.