Tennis: Serena Williams,

out of competition for over a year to give birth to a daughter, returned with 6-2, 6-3 doubles loss with sister Venus to the Netherlands’ Lesley Kerkhove and Demi Schuurs in a Fed Cup doubles match in Asheville., N.C. The U.S. already had clinched a victory in the best-offive event, thanks to two singles victories by Venus Williams, so this doubles loss merely narrowed the final score to 3-1. The U.S. advanced to a World Cup semifinal April 21-22 at France, which defeated Belgium 3-2. The clincher came Sunday when Venus Williams won the final five games in a 7-5, 6-1 win over Richel Hogenkamp.

The Czech Republic beat Switzerland 3-1 to advance to its 10th straight Fed Cup semifinal. The Czechs travel to Germany, which beat Belarus 3-2.