Posted at 1:32 p.m., Monday, December 17, 2007
Tennis: Fernandez will coach U.S. Fed Cup team
Associated Press
WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. — U.S. Fed Cup captain Zina Garrison will be joined next year by coach Mary Joe Fernandez, who will take over as captain in 2009.The U.S. Tennis Association announced the pairing of the former doubles partners today. The U.S. will play Germany in the Fed Cup quarterfinals Feb. 2-3 at La Jolla, Calif.
"Fed Cup was one of the most important and memorable times of my career," said Fernandez, who played on the winning 1996 U.S. team.
The 36-year-old Fernandez helped the U.S. reach the finals in four of her six years on the Fed Cup team and finished with a 16-10 record (12-8 in singles).
She won Grand Slam doubles titles at the 1991 Australian Open and 1996 French Open. Fernandez, who finished with seven WTA Tour singles titles and 19 doubles titles, is a tennis commentator.
The Fed Cup matches will be at the La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club. The U.S. leads with 17 Fed Cup titles, the last in 2000.
"I anticipate an exciting final year as captain in the hopes of bringing the Fed Cup home to the U.S.," said Garrison, the captain since 2004. "Mary Joe and I are looking forward to building a strong transition."
