Serena pulls out of Fed Cup final; King in for U.S.

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. (AP)—Serena Williams withdrew from the U.S. team that will face Italy in the Fed Cup final, deciding she needs to rest after a long season.

Williams informed U.S. Fed Cup captain Mary Joe Fernandez she won’t play in the Nov. 7-8 matches, U.S. Tennis Association spokesman Chris Widmaier told The Associated Press on Saturday.

Vania King replaces Williams on the roster, joining surprise U.S. Open quarterfinalist Melanie Oudin, Liezel Huber and Alexa Glatch. Fernandez had announced this week Williams would play Fed Cup for the first time since 2007.

Willliams will play sister Venus Williams in Sunday’s final of the WTA championships in Doha, Qatar. She has been playing with her left thigh strapped in the season-ending tournament.

“I think I’m just going to be wiped out by the end of this,” she said after winning her semifinal Saturday when injured Caroline Wozniacki quit in the second set. “I’m literally just giving everything I have.”

Williams leads active women with 11 Grand Slam singles titles and is unbeaten in Fed Cup singles play.