Newly-crowned Australian Open tennis champion Serena Williams has decided to play for the United States Fed Cup team for the first time since 2003.
The only other year she played the women's team event was in 1999, helping the USA win the title. The United States repeated as champion the next year without Serena Williams but has not won the Fed Cup since.
Serena is 6-0 in Fed Cup play, with three singles and three doubles victories.
Serena will join older sister Venus on the squad that faces Belgium in the first round of the Fed Cup in April at Delray Beach, Florida. Venus Williams had announced her participation last week.
The U.S. team should be heavily favored because Belgium's top two players - Justine Henin and Kim Clijsters - have decided not to take part.
Some information for this report was provided by AP.
