Serena expected to take Fed place
| Williams is likely to line up alongside Lindsay Davenport against Belgium |
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OAKLAND, California -- Serena Williams is expected to recover from an ankle injury to join Lindsay Davenport in the singles when the United States take on Belgium in the Fed Cup quarter-finals later this month.
Doubles player Corina Morariu and Venus Williams complete the line-up for the tie on April 23 and 24 in Delray Beach in Florida.
Captain Zina Garrison said that Venus, a winner of four grand slam events and who upset Serena in Miami last month, was aware she might not get a game.
"Lindsay and Serena are my singles players," said Garrison, adding that Davenport and Morariu were due to play the doubles. "Venus agreed to come, but knows she might not be playing. She's a team player."
Serena sprained her ankle last week and retired from a quarter-final match against Silvia Farina-Elia in Amelia Island.
Garrison said she believed Serena was back practising and "better than 50 percent", adding: "Until I hear something differently, she's fine to play."
Belgium will be without top players Kim Clijsters and Justine Henin-Hardenne, who are on their way back from injuries.
Their team will consist of Ells Callens, Kirsten Flipkens and Leslie Butkiewicz and Evelyne Van Hyfte, none of whom are in the top 150 in the world.
Garrison, however, said she could not risk fielding a weaker team. "With Kim starting to play better it was possible she might change her mind," she said.
The United States have won the Fed Cup a record 17 times, the last in 2000.
Last year, Garrison was unable to recruit any of her top players as the team were beaten in Austria.