America blanks Belgium at the Fed Cup

DELRAY BEACH, Fla., April 22 (UPI) -- Vania King beat Kristen Flipkens in straight sets Sunday to help the United States record a 5-0 victory over Belgium in its first-round Fed Cup tie.

King recorded her 4-6, 6-4, 7-5, victory while subbing for Australian Open champion Serena Williams, who had an inflamed right knee.

The knee acted up after Williams' 6-4, 6-1, victory over Caroline Maes Saturday.

The win by the 18-year-old King gave the United States an insurmountable 3-0 lead at the Delray Beach, Fla., event.

"The whole atmosphere, clinching the tie was just a dream come true," King said.

The whitewash was completed when former world No. 1 and five-time Grand Slam champion Venus Williams beat Yanina Wickmayer, 6-1, 6-2, and the doubles team of King and Lisa Raymond downed Maes and Tamaryn Hendler, 6-1, 6-2.

The United States next faces Russia, which recorded a similar 5-0 victory over Spain.