Team USA avoided a massive upset in Fed Cup Saturday.

“It wasn’t an easy match and for sure it wasn’t the best tennis I’ve ever played,” Kerber said.

“It’s hard for me to believe I’m in the third round,” said the 18-year-old Bellis.

The All-American gold medal mixed doubles match at the Olympics went to Jack Sock and Bethanie Mattek-Sands who spoiled Venus’s bid for history.

Serena Williams survived a scare, Roger Federer returns Friday.

Notes: Time for the tournament sponsored by an online betting site as the tour fights rampant match-fixing…Loaded dirt field…Rafa makes his first appearance since being upset at Wimbledon…Tough starts for (1) Rafa vs. Hot Sauce

No. 2 seed Petra Kvitova enters the Australian Open on a hot streak, on Friday capturing the title at the APIA International Sydney WTA event with a 7-6(5), 7-6(6) win over unseeded fellow Czech Karolina Pliskova.

World No. 1 Rafael Nadal pulled from the event citing a stomach virus…Ferrer shooting for third title in a row…Wildcards went to Ferrer and Argentines Facundo Arguello and Guido Pella…Returning champs in the field are Ferrer (2013-12), Almagro (2011), Robredo (2009), and Monaco (2007).

Notes: Strong field with four Top 10ers…Tough starts for (1) Sharapova after a bye likely facing Hantuchova, (2) Kvitova after a bye likely meeting Cornet, and (8) Flipkens vs. the defending champion Barthel…Wildcards went to Caroline Garcia, Petra Kvitova and Kristina Mladenovic…Pulling from the tournament were Dominika Cibulkova, Ana Ivanovic, Kaia Kanepi and Lucie Safarova…Returning champs in the field are Barthel (2013), Kerber (2012), and Kvitova (2011).

“That’s one of the best wins of my career,” said Mattek-Sands, who hit 32 winners during the aggressive assault. “I knew she wasn’t going to give it to me. She’s a champion, and I had to play some of my best tennis ever to beat her…It was kind of a battle of who can take control of that middle court.”

Milos Raonic meets Rafael Nadal tomorrow in Barcelona.

“Tennis is my priority,” Mattek-Sands says, clearly not a self-promoter nor needing to be one with her accomplishments.

“It was a long time ago, but he beat me,” Nadal said. “So that’s what happened. Gilles is a very dangerous player, especially on this surface. So it will be a very tough match for me. I don’t know what is my best form, I try my best every day. I need a few adjustments.”

John Isner on playing Nicolas Mahut again: “It’s going to be pretty nuts. I couldn’t believe it. I joked with him earlier in the week, last week, and said, ‘Watch us play each other.’ And he said, ‘No, there’s no way. That’s not even funny.'”

All 32 seeds in Miami receive 1st round byes so there is not a lot of early drama, but potential matches to look for in the coming days include (1) Wozniacki vs. American Bethanie Mattek-Sands 2nd rd., (16) Maria Sharapova vs. (18) Nadia Petrova 3rd rd., (3) Vera Zvonareva vs. (WC) Dinara Safina 2nd rd., and (19) Ana Ivanovic vs. Kimiko Date-Krumm 2nd rd.