体坛英语新闻：U.S. defeats 4-1 Argentina in Fed Cup first round series

BUENOS AIRES, Feb. 8 (Xinhua) -- The United States tennis team defeated 4-1 Argentina in the first round of World Group II of Fed Cup, the premiere international team competition in women's tennis.

The series began last Saturday with the matches easily won by the two U. S. star sisters, Venus (11th in world ranking) and Serena Williams (1st in world ranking). Venus defeated Paula Ormaechea (121) 6-3 and 6-2, while Serena defeated Maria Irigoyen (197) with a score of 7-5 and 6-0.

On Sunday, Ormaechea defeated U. S. Coco Vandeweghe with a double 6-4. Vandeweghe replaced Serena Williams in the match, who did not play due to a persistent cough.

Despite of this victory, the hope of Argentines vanished quickly after Venus Williams defeated Irigoyen with a score of 6-1 and 6-4.

Later, in the doubles game, U. S. Taylor Townsend and Coco Vandeweghe defeated Argentina's Nadia Podoroska and Tania Bua with a double 6-2.

The series was played in the clay court of Pilara Tennis Club, at 56 km north of Buenos Aires, at a temperature of more than 30 degrees centigrade. Every match was played before some 2,500 people.

Argentina's coach is Maria Jose Gadiano, while the U. S. team is led by Mary Joe Fernandez.

With this result, U. S. qualified for playoffs for World Group. The U. S. female players will face against one of the losing teams of this category, who also played this weekend.

On the other hand, Argentina will have to defend its permanence in World Group II against a rival from Group I on the series to be played on April 18-19.

This was the fifth time Argentina and the U. S. face each other in Fed Cup.

U.S. has won four times, including in 1964 in Philadelphia (U. S.), in 1985 in Nagaoka (Japan), in 2009 in Arizona (U. S.) and in Buenos Aires (Argentina) in 2015.

Argentina has only won in 1993 in Frankfurt (Germany).