Fed Cup drops 4th singles after 3-0 lead

LONDON (AP) - The fourth singles in a Fed Cup series will be scrapped if a team has an unassailable 3-0 lead.

The International Tennis Federation revised its policy to allow the doubles played instead of the fourth singles.

Juan Margets, executive vice president of the ITF, says in a statement Thursday that the rule change "came in response to requests from players, captains and national associations'' after its introduction in the Davis Cup.

If the outcome is decided after the fourth singles, the doubles will still be played and a first-to-10 match tiebreaker will replace the third set. This will apply in group play but not in the final, when the doubles won't be played.