United States have one foot in semis

Asheville (North Carolina, USA): Defending Fed Cup champions the United States were one point from advancing to the semifinals after a comfortable victory for Venus Williams, with sister Serena waiting in the wings for her much anticipated comeback. Seven-time Grand Slam winner Venus Williams needed an hour and 19 minutes to brush aside her 124th-ranked Dutch opponent Arantxa Rus 6-1, 6-4. A more laboured win followed for the mercurial CoCo Vandeweghe, who lost her first set to Richel Hogenkamp and broke a racket in frustration during the second before fighting back to a 4-6, 7-6 (8/6), 6-3 victory. They were both cheered from the bench by Serena Williams, who is poised to make her own return to the sport after a year away and the birth of her daughter Alexis Olympia, who attended in the arms of her father Alexis Ohanian one row behind. Venus’ win came in her 1,000th career match and her 22nd singles appearance.