By Jackie Finn, USTA.com
The U.S. Fed Cup team will begin its 2017 season – and its first appearance in the World Group since 2014 – with a home tie against Germany, Feb. 11-12.
The location for the Fed Cup by BNP Paribas World Group First Round has not yet been announced. The players for the tie will be named no less than 10 days prior to the start of competition.
The winner of this match advances to the World Group Semifinals, held April 22-23, with a chance to compete for a spot in the 2017 World Group Final.
Team USA holds an 8-5 all-time record over Germany in Fed Cup competition. The two countries met most recently in 2011 in a World Group Playoff, where the U.S. lost, 5-0. The Americans’ last victory over the Germans came in a 2008 quarterfinal by a score of 4-1.
In 2016, the U.S. Fed Cup team featured world No. 9 Venus Williams and No. 10 Madison Keys as well as Top 50 players Sloane Stephens and CoCo Vandeweghe. Other players that competed for the stars and stripes this past year were No. 66 Christina McHale and doubles specialist Bethanie Mattek-Sands, while world No. 1 Serena Williams last suited up in 2015.
Germany’s top players include reigning Australian Open champion and world No. 4 Angelique Kerber and Top 50 players Andrea Petkovic, Laura Siegemund and Annika Beck.