ESPN Tennis

BRNO, Czech Republic -- Missing Serena and Venus Williams, the United States will rely entirely on rookies in the singles matches of the Fed Cup semifinals against the Czech Republic.

Bethanie Mattek-Sands makes her Fed Cup debut in Saturday's opening singles against Petra Kvitova, and Alexa Glatch will play for the first time for the U.S. team in the second singles against Iveta Benesova on the indoor hard court at Rondo Arena.

Reverse singles are planned for Sunday.

Seeking to reach the finals for the first time since 2003, American team captain Mary Joe Fernandez didn't seem bothered by her team's lack of experience.

"You have to start somewhere," Fernandez said. "We're building, trying to develop a next great generation of American players."

She said her advice to the players was "to enjoy every minute." To play the Fed Cup "means more because you don't just play for yourself but for your teammates, for your country," Fernandez said.

Mattek-Sands, 24, was supposed to play for the Americans in the first round against Argentina in February but was forced to withdraw because of a hip injury. The U.S. beat Argentina 3-2.

"I'm really excited. It's my first match in the Fed Cup," Mattek-Sands said. "Last time I was not able to play due to injury. We have a great team."

Glatch, 19, called her debut "an amazing experience."

"It's such a big honor to have a chance to play for your country and I'm really looking forward to playing this weekend," she said.

The U.S. team has won a record 17 Fed Cup titles but its last victory came in 2000, and it does not enter the best-of-five series as the favorite.

Benesova has the highest ranking of the four singles players at No. 29; Mattek-Sands is 39th and Glatch is No. 114.

"We're underdogs this weekend but it's a good position to be," Fernandez said. "It's a challenge."

The Czechs have the same team that beat Spain 4-1 in the quarterfinals in February to send the team to its first semifinal since 1997.

"It's great for us to play at home and we have a chance [to win]," Benesova said.

The U.S. holds a 2-0 edge over the Czech Republic in previous meetings.

"The Americans always do their best," Czech captain Petr Pala said. "It's tough any time."

Pala had to wait until the last moment to decide if Kvitova was fit enough to play after recovering from an ankle injury.

"I was fully training yesterday and today and I feel 100 percent fit," said the 49th-ranked Kvitova, who won both of her singles matches against Spain in straight sets. "I hope we'll win."

In the final doubles match, Benesova will team up with veteran Kveta Peschke to face top-ranked doubles player Liezel Huber and Mattek-Sands.

The 32-year-old Huber is playing her third tie for the U.S., having won the doubles against Russia and Argentina. She previously competed for South Africa.

The winner of the best-of-five series will face Russia or Italy in the Nov. 7-8 final.

Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press