By Erin Bruehl, USTA.com
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| Liezel Huber 225 |
Something just did not feel quite right for Liezel Huber.
The South African-born, co-world No. 1 doubles player had lived in the U.S. since 1992 and was representing South Africa in international tennis competition before becoming an American citizen in July 2007.
Being introduced as representing South Africa while living in the U.S. seemed slightly off to Huber but so did representing the U.S. after she became a citizen because she had not been born here and spoke with a different accent than most Americans.
However, this weekend, as a member of the U.S. Fed Cup Team for the first time as the team faces Russia in the semifinals in Moscow, the transition to becoming an American will finally feel complete for Huber.
“I do think I will truly feel 100 percent American (this weekend),” Huber, 31, said. “It is kind of like when you change your name when you get married; there is something with that identity that doesn’t seem right and that is what happened when I got married.”
“When they would always say I was from South Africa, I didn’t feel from South Africa because I had lived in the States for so long,” she added. “But when I became American it didn’t seem to fit either because I speak differently and I was born in a different country. But now that I am having this experience I truly believe that it (becoming an American) will be complete. That is why it is so exciting for me. It is really here.”
Huber, a Texas resident, will compete in doubles on Sunday with Vania King in the last rubber of the tie against Elena Vesnina and Vera Zvonareva of Russia. She has been excited about competing ever since U.S. Captain Zina Garrison first asked if she was available to play in this tie about six weeks ago.
She has played Fed Cup for South Africa but the experience of doing it as an American is different and extremely special for her.
“I’m really humbled. I might be the most experienced player (on the team) and my ranking is where it is at but I really appreciate this opportunity to be on this great team,” she said. “I am really grateful for that opportunity to be an American and I think you realize that when you are a foreigner. At a ceremony I always thank the sponsors and I thank my partner for playing and I always say ‘God Bless America’ because it is the best country.”
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| Liezel Huber 225 |
As the most experienced member of the team, Huber is really enjoying getting to know her teammates and has a lot of confidence in them.
“(After we all got here), we just went to dinner and I sat in the middle so I could keep them all under my wing,” Huber said. “They are all a decent bunch of girls, not just talented but well-rounded. Everybody has their own personalities and I can see myself a little bit in each one of them. But all around, everybody has the same goals, to have a good time, learn from the experience and give our best.”
Huber’s enthusiasm and passion for playing as an American is evident to the team.
“Liezel just became an American, (and) she gets so emotional (about it). It is really special to be part of that,” said U.S. Coach Mary Joe Fernandez. “She is taking so much pride in playing for her country.”
Huber is also happy to be in Moscow for this tie, as the last time she was here with doubles partner Cara Black in late 2007, they won the Kremlin Cup and she used the money she won to build tennis courts near her home.
It was just one of nine titles that Huber and Black won that year, which also included the Australian Open and Wimbledon after they reunited as a doubles team at the beginning of the season. For her career, Huber has five Grand Slam doubles titles.
In 2005, Huber suffered a knee injury during the summer that forced her out for the rest of the year. She returned to competition in 2006 and rejoined forces with Black last year. And Huber reached the No.1 spot (joining Black) in the world for the first time in her career in 2007.
After Fed Cup this weekend, Huber will have four days off before competing with Black in Berlin. Before that, however, she will stop and visit her sister in Holland. To compete in this tie, Huber sacrificed a long rest and her husband (and coach) Tony is back home in Texas – but she is not complaining.
“(Without coming here) it would have been ten days at home so that means I’m in Europe earlier but I wouldn’t change it for the world,” she said.
Play starts Saturday with the first reverse singles match at 2 p.m. local time between King and Chakvetadze and then Rolle against Kuznetsova. King and Kuznetsova and Rolle and Chakvetadze then play on Sunday before Huber and King take the court against Vesnina and Zvonareva.
“The experience so far has been unbelievable. It is such a fun team and what Zina, Mary Joe, Lori McNeil (who is with the team) and everyone bring as well as the organization is just superb,” Huber said. “I don’t know how the experience will be when the stadium is full of people. I think and dream about how it is going to be.”
The new American will soon find out.