Venus, Serena Williams on US team
Venus Williams will return from illness and her sister, Serena, will play Fed Cup for the first time in nearly five years after being selected in the US team to meet Belarus in a February 4-5 World Group II match at Worcester, Massachusetts.
US Fed Cup captain Mary Joe Fernandez announced the team, also containing, Christina McCale and Liezel Huber, late on Tuesday.
It will be Venus Williams's first appearance in sanctioned competition since the US Open, when she revealed she had Sjogren's Syndrome, an autoimmune disease that can cause fatigue and joint pain.
The winner of the Worcester match will advance to the World Group playoff and and a chance to compete for the Fed Cup title in 2013.
Victoria Azarenka, who is expected to lead the Belarusian team, will face defending champion Kim Clijsters in the Australian Open semifinals on Thursday.