Davenport loses at Fed Cup

LA JOLLA, Calif., Feb. 3 (UPI) -- Lindsay Davenport lost in the opening singles rubber of the Fed Cup quarterfinal Saturday, setting up a 1-1 tie between the United States and Germany.

Davenport -- a former world No. 1 -- lost 6-1, 7-5 to Sabine Lisicki, but the Americans drew even when Ashley Harkleroad downed Germany's Tatjana Malek, 6-1, 6-3.

The event is being contested in La Jolla, Calif.

Davenport's shocking loss left her overall Fed Cup singles record at 25-2. It was her first defeat in a Fed Cup match since 1994. She has not appeared on a losing team since 1995.

Davenport faces Malek and Harkleroad plays Lisicki Sunday, while the potentially decisive doubles rubber pits Davenport and Lisa Raymond against Anna-Lena Groenefeld and Julia Goerges.

The United States is 7-4 all-time against Germany and is after its 18th Fed Cup title.

Russia and Israel are 1-1, China leads France 2-0, and Spain has a similar 2-0 lead against Italy after Saturday's other Fed Cup action.