Not wanting to play on clay – and not the terrorist attacks of September 11 – was the reason the two–time defending champion United States withdrew from this week's Fed Cup in Madrid. The accusations by Belgian captain Ivo Van Aken came on Wednesday as his team – the favourites without the Americans in the eight–team field – got off to a perfect start in a quest for their first Fed Cup title.Kim Clijsters and Justine Henin picked up identical 6–3, 6–1 victories over Germany on Wednesday's opening day.Henin defeated Martina Muller and Clijsters made equally short work of teammate Bianka Lamade. Belgium also took doubles as Els Callens and Laurence Courtois defeated Lamade and Barbara Rittner 6–4, 6–7 (5–7), 6–1 for a 3–0 sweep of the tie in the round–robin tournament.Russia won its tie 2–1 over the Czech Republic. Kveta Hrdlickova gave the Czechs a 1–0 lead with a victory over Elena Bovina 3–6, 6–1, 8–6. Elena Dementieva evened at 1–1 with a 6–4, 4–6, 6–1 victory over Denisa Chladkova. The doubles team of Nadia Petrova and Elena Likhovtseva clinched it, defeating Hrdlickova and Alean Vaskova 6–3, 6–2.In the day's other tie, Spain won 3–0 over Australia. Conchita Martinez struggled in a two–hour match to beat Alicia Molik 2–6, 6–0, 7–5.
Molik had four break points in the seventh game of the final set but failed to capitalize.In the other singles, Arantxa Sanchez–Vicario defeated Nicole Pratt 3–6, 6–1, 6–1.The doubles team of Gala Leon Garcia and Virginia Ruano Pascual defeated Rachel McQuillan and Evie Dominikovic 7–5, 6–4.Without the Americans, Belgium, France, Spain and Russia are the favorites to reach Sunday's final in the top team event in women's tennis."It's obvious that they (Americans) didn't want to play on clay after the Masters and to come here just for one competition," Van Aken said "That's why they're not here. The events of September 11 gave them an excuse."The Americans, who pulled out last month citing security concerns, have won the Fed Cup 17 times and would have been the favorites again with a team that could have included Jennifer Capriati, Lindsay Davenport, Venus Williams, Monica Seles and Serena Williams.French captain Guy Forget was also critical."I regret and I can half understand the withdrawal Very serious things are happening in the world. But I think that the world continues to turn, people continue to work.""What's the different between the Masters in Munich and the Fed Cup in Madrid?""I don't have the impression that here in Madrid there is much of a terrorist risk. The fanatics who carry out horrible acts have other things to do than worry about tennis matches."Spanish player Conchita Martinez, who was in the United States on Sept. 11 and lives much of the year there, said she understood the American's hesitance to travel."If the FBI says don't come, that there's a risk – I'd stay at home, too," she said. "It's disappointing for the organizers, but I understand."On the court, Clijsters and Henin are tickled to teaming up.Friends from junior tennis, teen–age rivals on the WTA Tour, Clijsters and Henin both reached their first Grand Slam finals this season only to lose – Clijsters in the French Open to Capriati and Henin at Wimbledon against Venus Williams."We have to play week in and week out and compete against each other," Clijsters said. "Now it's great to be on the same team and to go out to dinner and play cards in the changing room together.""Justine and I have had such a great year.
It would be special to end it off with a good result."The two also help unite a linguistically divided country. Clijsters is a native Flemish speaker and Henin's first language is French."It's nice to play together for the last week of the year," Henin said "We'll enjoy this moment. We are alone all year on the tour, so it's nice to be a team one week in the year."The WTA's No. 7–ranked player, Henin had no trouble with Muller – ranked 100 places below her.
