Vandeweghe leads US to Fed Cup win

MINSK: A 17year championship drought came to an end for the United States when it overcame host Belarus 32 to win a recordextending 18th Fed Cup title yesterday.

CoCo Vandeweghe and Shelby Rogers defeated Aryna Sabalenka and Aliaksandra Sasnovich 63, 76 (73) in the deciding doubles of the final.

‘‘It feels perfectly believable and unbelievable,’’ Vandeweghe said.

‘‘I’m ready for a vacation.’’ It has been quite a year for the 25yearold American, who made it through to the US Open semifinals and is at a careerhigh No 10 in the world rankings since linking up with Australian Pat Cash in June.

After being dumped by her coach after the French Open, Vandeweghe appointed 1987 Wimbledon champion Cash and ‘‘the rest is what it is’’, she told the AFP in September.

Vandeweghe proved the difference between the two teams.

She won all eight Fed Cup matches she played this season — six singles and two doubles.

Vandeweghe is the first player to win eight matches since the eightteam World Group format was introduced in 2005.

‘‘I had a great time out there,’’ Vandeweghe said.

‘‘I really relished in that moment of having the crowd against me and firing myself up and believing in myself.’’

Vandeweghe and Rogers trailed 52 in the second set with their Belarus opponents serving to level the match at oneset apiece in the eighth, 10th and 12th games.

The Americans dominated the tiebreak, winning five of the last six points.

Sasnovich had kept Belarus alive after beating US Open champion Sloane Stephens 46, 61, 86 to leave the final level at 22 on the indoor hardcourt Chizhovka Arena.

Earlier, Vandeweghe beat Sabalenka 76 (75), 61 to give the US a 21 lead.

Kathy Rinaldi, in her inaugural season in charge of the Americans, became the first female captain in the tournament to lead a Fed Cup team to victory since Billie Jean King for the US in 2000.

‘‘It’s been an incredible ride thanks to these ladies,’’ Rinaldi said.

‘‘We’re family and we’ve had each other’s backs. This was a very tough match.’’

Belarus was making its first appearance in a Fed Cup final.

‘‘We are really satisfied we gained this result,’’ Belarus captain Eduard Dubrou said.

REUTERS Peerless . . . Americans Shelby Rogers (left) and Coco Vandeweghe celebrate after beating the Belarusian doubles combination of Aryna Sabalenka and Aliaksandra Sasnovich to win the final of the Fed Cup 32 in Minsk yesterday.