Two Grand Slam champions announced their plans on Tuesday regarding their participation in the 2008 Fed Cup by BNP Paribas.
World number one Justine Henin has opted to forego competing for Belgium in February, while American Lindsay Davenport has expressed her intention to play at home in California.
To be eligible for the Summer Olympics in Beijing, Henin had to make herself available to the Belgian squad. However, thanks to an agreement with the Belgium Tennis Federation, Henin has been assured that she will not be named to the team so she can focus on preparing for the Olympics.
“The Belgian Tennis Federation has decided not take advantage of Justine simply because there’s an opportunity,” said AFT President Andre Stein according to Henin’s website.
“We will not force Justine to take part in a Fed Cup tie that she cannot put her heart into or jeopardizes her career. We know that Justine makes herself available to the disposal of the Fed Cup team, but we also understand the difficult situation. We hope that this decision will be the perfect one for Justine and that 2008 will be similar to 2007. It’s still a long way to go, but let’s also include a gold medal from the Olympics.”
The United States Tennis Association announced today that Lindsay Davenport has been named to February’s team.
“Lindsay is such a great Fed Cup competitor and her return to tennis last season proved her love for and commitment to the game,” said Fed Cup captain Zina Garrison. “We are thrilled to have her back on the U.S. Fed Cup team. It will be exciting to watch her compete for her country once again.”
Davenport will bring to the team a stellar 31-2 career Fed Cup record, and has not lost a Fed Cup match since 1994.
“I am honored to represent my country on the U.S. Fed Cup team once again,” said Davenport in the USTA’s announcement. “My Fed Cup appearances have given me some of the best memories of my career and I look forward to La Jolla and helping our team advance to the semifinals.”
The opening round of the 2008 Fed Cup by BNP Paribas will be held February 2-3.
