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Capriati licks wounds after Fed Cup debacle
( 2002-04-30 09:28 ) (7 )

The transition from Fed Cup heroine to ostracised villain has been swift and absolute for Jennifer Capriati after an astonishing weekend which saw her thrown off the US team.

Capriati, who led the Americans to the title in 2001, was dumped for planning a private coaching session with father and coach Stefano -- a breach of team rules according to captain Billie Jean King.

King's 'zero-tolerance' approach to the Capriati misdemeanour meant the US were forced to forfeit one singles match before they could replace their star player, and a shock loss for Monica Seles saw the hosts and 17-times champions teetering on the brink of defeat after a dramatic opening day.

Austria's Barbara Schwartz beat Capriati's replacement Meghann Shaughnessy on Sunday to complete one of the biggest shocks in Fed Cup history and consign the US to only their second ever opening-round defeat.

Where this leaves Capriati is unclear, but it is hard to see how the Australian and French Open champion could return to the Fed Cup fold after such a public -- and damaging -- clash with her captain.

VISIBLY STUNG

"I don't think, probably at least as long as I'm captain, that Jennifer would come back now," King said after the humiliating defeat in Charlotte.

"I don't like to assume anything. I'm always very open to start over, but I'm also older and have more history behind me and understand that relationships are the most important in the world, not tennis matches."

Capriati, though, has been visibly stung by the sacking. Always a staunch supporter of Fed Cup, she has refused to talk to King since Friday's shock move.

"I offered to speak with her. She didn't want to," King said.

Capriati did issue a statement through her agent Linda Dozoretz and her anguish was only too evident.

"I am extremely upset... I am so disappointed by the actions the USTA has taken," she said.

"On my own time, following a team practice session, I decided I wanted some additional practice in advance of my first match.

"Looking beyond the Fed Cup I am also preparing for some very important tournaments, including the defence of my title at the French Open.

"I do not believe I did anything to hurt the team."

LITTLE SUPPORT

Although Capriati feels wronged, she will find little support from her erstwhile team mates.

"I'd like to ask her, you know, why she didn't want to follow the team rules and, you know, if it was worth it for her to trade that," Shaughnessy said after her defeat.

"The bottom line is that when we came here, there were a set of rules signed on for each player. It was Jennifer's decision not to follow one of them.

"That's her decision, and that's fine. But if she's going to make that decision, she needs to know that there are consequences."

Monica Seles also backed the captain.

"I just feel the right decision was made," she said. "I mean, it was just, I think -- I have my coach here and I understood the rules. The rules were explained to me. I obliged.

"We're all here as a team and we need to focus on our tennis, not the distractions ... It's just becoming too much. This week is just really difficult for all of us."

How Capriati deals with the consequences of her actions will unfurl over the coming weeks.

Gregarious and friendly by nature, the stress of her sacking and the villain's role in which she has now been cast could well end up doing more to damage her French Open chances than a missed training session with her father.