USA and Germany Face Off in Fed Cup World Group Playoff

The United States will try to stay in the Fed Cup World Group for 2012 as they compete against face Germany this weekend in the Fed Cup World Group Playoff in Stuttgart.

Order of Play

Saturday, 7:00 a.m. ET

Singles A: Christina McHale (USA) vs. Andrea Petkovic (GER)

Singles B: Melanie Oudin (USA) vs. Julia Goerges (GER)

Sunday, 5:30 a.m. ET

Singles C: Melanie Oudin (USA) vs. Andrea Petkovic (GER)

Singles D: Christina McHale (USA) vs. Julia Goerges (GER)

Doubles:  Liezel Huber/Vania King (USA) vs. Anna-Lena Groenefeld/Sibine Lisicki (GER)

U.S. Fed Cup Captain Mary Joe Fernandez

On the singles lineup: “It is great that we have a very versatile team. Both Melanie and Christina have been playing on the clay and doing well and everyone was a possibility. So we will start with this lineup but it can always change. But this is the lineup we are going to start with.”
Melanie Oudin

On playing Petkovic: “Whenever you lose to someone, if you play them again a few weeks later, you want to get revenge on them. She is going to bring some good tennis so I have to be ready.”

When asked about this weekend’s tie against Germany: “I feel good. I feel like we have been practicing really well and we are ready for tough matches this weekend. Everyone is going to give it their all and hopefully we can come out with the win.”
Christina McHale

When asked about playing first: “I think it will be good to start. There won’t be any results yet so I can just go play and see what happens.”

On the team playing on clay: “I think each day all of us are getting more used to the surface and conditions. I think we will just give it our all and see how it goes.”
Vania King

When asked about adjusting since being asked to come back on the U.S. Fed Cup team: “I feel like I have adjusted really well. Wednesday I was really tired but I felt like I had a good practice. Yesterday I felt really good and today I feel great again.”

On playing on clay: “I am really having fun on the clay, I feel like I have improved a lot on it. Liezel and I are going to tough it out in doubles no matter what, but our first priority is the team. So I want us to win really fast.”

Liezel Huber

On the tie coming down to the deciding doubles match: “If it comes to the deciding doubles match, it means we would have lost two matches by then so I am really not hoping for any losses. It is just something you say you hope it comes down to the doubles but in fact, we hope to finish it before then.”