It's been 17 years since the United States has won the Fed Cup. That year, the team was greatly benefitted from being the defending champions.

Back then, the Fed Cup was contested with a different format—instead of two groups of eight teams there was one group of 13. First, 12 teams battled it out in three pools of four. The winner of each group advanced to a knockout round with the U.S., who earned their prestigious spot by winning the title in 1999. The semifinal stage was played in Las Vegas, putting the odds even more in Team USA's favor.

In their first tie of the week, the squad of Monica Seles, Lindsay Davenport, Jennifer Capriati and Lisa Raymond beat Belgium—which was led by two teenagers named Kim Clijsters and Justine Henin.

In the final, the U.S faced Spain, the most dominant team of the 1990s. The five-time titlists were overwhelmed, though, from start to finish. Seles routed Conchita Martinez in the first rubber and Davenport outlasted Arantxa Sanchez Vicario in the second.

Davenport then clinched the title by dominating Martinez in the first reverse singles. Capriati recorded the fourth point in singles, and then teamed up with Raymond to complete the 5-0 sweep.

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The win marked the 17th Fed Cup title for the U.S., which has reached three other finals between 2000 and 2017, but dropped them all. This weekend in Minsk, a U.S. team featuring CoCo Vandeweghe, Sloane Stephens, Shelby Rogers and Alison Rise will try to bring home the cup when they face Belarus.

The 2000 winning team's captain was Billie Jean King—this year's leader is Kathy Rinaldi.

"It would mean a lot obviously for these girls to win this," Rinaldi said. "And to be the next female coach since Billie, it would be an honor."

The Fed Cup final will be covered live by Tennis Channel starting at 6:30 a.m. on Saturday and 6 a.m. on Sunday.

Follow Van on Twitter: @Van_Sias