Plenty of drama ahead of Fed Cup clash with Russia

STOWE, Vt. -- Whenever Russia vs. the U.S. is mentioned, some people can't help but think about a different time in a much different world. Rocky vs. Drago. The Miracle on Ice. The Cold War.

Lisa Raymond (red hat) and the rest of the American team need a victory over Russia to advance to the finals of the Fed Cup. Robert Sullivan/AFP/Getty Images

That's certainly not the case for the four of us representing the U.S. against Russia this weekend in the semifinals of the Fed Cup, although nothing would make us prouder than to come away victorious.

Team USA is led by the newly crowned Wimbledon champ Venus Williams. She has been a constant in Fed Cup competition in recent years, helping the U.S. and coach Zina Garrison whenever possible.

Joining Venus are Meilen Tu (who replaces the injured Serena Williams), Vania King and me. We've just returned from a long European swing, so everyone is a bit weary from the past few months, but if there's an event that can make you forget about miles logged, the tired body and mind, it's the Fed Cup and the opportunity to represent your beloved country.

This will be Tu's first time competing for the U.S., and she figures to be tested from the get-go, facing a strong Russian team as well as the pressures of playing for her country. After spending some time with her and the team on Thursday, I have no doubt she is excited and raring to go. She'll have to find a way to turn the pressure into pure adrenaline that will enable her to use the home crowd to will her through her matches if need be.

The Russian team is doing as much scrambling for players as the U.S. Nadia Petrova, Anna Chakvetadze, Elena Vesnina and the new addition of Alla Kudryavtseva were the Russian team as of Thursday evening. Maria Sharapova was supposed to be on the squad but pulled the plug at the last minute due to a nagging injury, similar to what happened for the April matchup against Spain. Now it seems that Svetlana Kuznetsova has also failed to make the trip.

To add to the drama and changing landscape of the past few days, Russia's coach, Shamil Tarpischev, wasn't even sure he was going to make it here. He had been denied a visa to travel to the U.S. until the last minute.

One thing in which I am extremely confident is the incredible support that we will receive here this weekend. The event has been sold out for months and the reception we have been getting from the community thus far has been amazing.

It's unfortunate that there are times when we play Fed Cup in the U.S., we seem to be looking at empty stands and an overall lack of crowd support, especially in comparison to the support that other countries seem to draw in this competition. I'm not sure exactly why this is the case -- maybe it's just a lack of interest from the American public in the Fed Cup. I would venture to guess that many tennis fans don't even know what Fed Cup is all about.

Once the lineup is revealed at the draw ceremony on Friday afternoon, we will have a much better idea as to who will be playing and when. I have to admit that I would love for the ITF to change the Fed Cup format and make it the same as the Davis Cup's: Start on Friday with two singles, play doubles only on Saturday and close on Sunday with two singles matches again. That way, the doubles counts!

That isn't to say that if it were to come down to doubles in the fifth match on Sunday afternoon, it wouldn't be a thrilling way to clinch it. I just think one way to make the doubles more exciting and strategically important would be to change it to the third match in the lineup.

So, will it be another blockbuster encounter involving two countries with a long history? Will Team USA dig deep and take one step closer to bringing the Cup home? Whatever the case, I think we will all have a special place in our hearts for the people of this community. Hopefully we will have made them feel just as special and give them something to really cheer about.