Facing almost certain defeat in the Fed Cup finals after falling behind Spain 2-0 Saturday, American captain Billie Jean King kept her sense of humor.
"No problema," King joked after Spain's Conchita Martinez defeated Chanda Rubin 7-5, 7-6 (7-3) and Arantxa Sanchez Vicario beat Mary Joe Fernandez 6-3, 6-2."We'll have a team meeting," King added, pausing to milk another laugh with her limited Spanish. "Muy pronto."
Rubin and Fernandez also laughed, seeming relieved even though they know defeat for the U.S. team loomed on the slow, red-clay court.
Spain can clinch its third straight Fed Cup title by winning either of today's singles (Martinez vs. Fernandez and Sanchez Vicario vs. Rubin) or the doubles.
The Americans lost to Spain last year in the finals and haven't won the Fed Cup - the women's equivalent of the Davis Cup - since 1990. They've won it a record 14 times.
The Spanish team was more subdued than the giddy Americans, although team captain Miguel Margets promised a celebration.
"I can assure you when we have something to celebrate - when this is won - we will celebrate," he said.
The initial pressure Saturday was on the 15th-ranked Rubin, the 19-year-old chosen to play singles after world co-No. 1 Monica Seles withdrew with knee and ankle problems.
Rubin was nervous early. Her serve was a problem from start to finish. At one point, she was landing only 40 percent of her first serves in what was an error-filled match. She finished at a lowly 53 percent.
Despite the service lapses that included four double faults in the first set, Rubin still might have won the set after breaking Martinez in the ninth game for a 5-4 lead.
But Rubin - making her Fed Cup debut - failed to hold the momentum and lost the next three games to drop the set as Martinez quickly regained her composure before a sellout crowd of 7,000.
"I had my opportunities - at that time I was up a break (leading 5-4) and serving for the set," Rubin said. "I thought I could have played better service games after that . ... I was a little disappointed with my service game."
Martinez went up 5-3 in the second set, with neither player able to hold serve. Rubin broke Martinez to trail 5-4, then held serve for the first time in the set, tying it 5-5.
Each held their next serves to force the tiebreaker, which Martinez won easily.
"She (Rubin) is a dangerous player," Martinez said."She's a good player on all surfaces, although this is the one she has most problems with."
King said, "For her first match, I thought she (Rubin) did a great job. You have to get started somewhere. This was a difficult situation for Chanda."
No. 3-ranked Sanchez Vicario never was in trouble against No. 8 Fernandez. Each held service in the first five games, but Sanchez Vicario took control breaking Fernandez to go up 4-2.
"I wanted to play well at home, and I was ready to come out and have a good game," said Sanchez Vicario, who has had a so-so season this year with three losses in Grand Slam finals despite reaching her first No. 1 ranking earlier in the year.
Fernandez, who had beaten Sanchez Vicario in their last two matches - both on faster surfaces - admitted she was never in the match after the Spaniard went ahead 4-2 in the first set.
"I thought she got control ... after the break in the first set," Fernandez said. "My opportunities were in the beginning ... She defends very well on this surface and toward the end she wasn't making many mistakes."