Kharkiv, Ukraine – Serena Williams sent the United States into next year's Fed Cup World Group with a straight-set win over the Ukraine's Lesia Tsurenko on Sunday.
Williams cruised to a 6-3, 6-2 victory in the opening reverse singles rubber, giving the Americans an insurmountable 3-0 lead in the best-of-five World Group playoff.
"Now we're back in the World Group where we want to be," said Williams, who improved to 8-0 all-time in Fed Cup singles play. "This week has been great."
Christina McHale then added a 7-5, 6-3 win over 17-year-old Elina Svitolina and the doubles team of Liezel Huber and Sloane Stephens finished off the 5-0 whitewash with a 6-4, 6-1 triumph over the Ukrainian sister duo of Nadiya and Lyudmyla Kichenok.
The Americans grabbed a commanding 2-0 lead on Saturday, as McHale earned the first point with a 6-1, 4-6, 6-3 victory over Tsurenko before Williams steamrolled Svitolina, 6-2, 6-1.
By rank, it was supposed to be a rout for the Americans despite the road matchup on red clay. Williams, a 13-time Grand Slam champ, is ranked ninth in the world and McHale is 36th. Tsurenko is 110th and Svitolina is 171st.
This was the first Fed Cup matchup between the 17-time champion U.S. and the Ukraine. The Ukrainians will be relegated to World Group II next year.
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