If Williams wasn’t to blame for the series outcome, then who was? U.S. captain Mary Joe Fernandez? Were the Italians, who have depth and experience, always going to win playing at home and on clay?
Fernandez knows the numbers. In her first two years as captain, the U.S. reached the final. (And who did it lose to both times? Italy.) But since the start of 2011, back-to-back series wins have come only against a Belarus squad without Victoria Azarenka and Ukraine, in 2012. Serena, notably, was in attendance on both occasions.
A wider examination of Fernandez’s captaincy may lead to other conclusions, but besides Williams this weekend, grafters Christina McHale and Lauren Davis offered little—five games in total—against Pennetta and Errani, respectively.
Fernandez’s hands were tied. Venus pulled out late and Varvara Lepchenko retired in Charleston with a back injury on the eve of the series.
Which brings us to Madison Keys and the slightly resurgent Sloane Stephens. Fernandez said she spoke with Keys twice about potentially playing, but was turned down.
“Originally Madison said no about six or seven weeks ago,” said Fernandez, mentioning the injury she carried at the Australian Open.
“Tried to ask her again because now she’s healthy, been playing well, but kind of sticking to her training regimen to try to get ready for the clay-court season and then the Grand Slams,” Fernandez added.
“With Sloane, talked to her as well, and she had some injuries that she wanted to take care of. It’s a long season ahead, on the clay and the grass. It’s tricky. It’s too bad they weren’t able to come.”
Stephens seems to just be finding her feet, and being thrust into a tough tie might have been a case of too much too soon. But Keys’ no-show, based on Fernandez’s synopsis, was a disappointment. Remember, the team was named during Charleston—where Keys reached the final—not after it, so fatigue wouldn’t have been a consideration at the time. Here was a chance for Keys to test herself against some of the best dirtballers in the world. Surely that would have aided her clay-court preparation.