Serena agrees to play in Fed Cup

Serena Williams won her third Australian Open title last month

Serena Williams has agreed to play for the United States Fed Cup team for the first time since 2003.

The Australian Open champion will join sister Venus in the first-round tie against Belgium in Florida in April.

US captain Zina Garrison said: "I was very happy when Serena called me and said she wanted to play, especially coming after her big win in Australia.

"I'm excited to see them both back on court and defying all the odds of what people think or say about them."

Serena, who with Venus helped the United States win the cup in 1999, is undefeated in the tournament with three singles wins and three victories in doubles.

She last played for the United States in a first-round victory over the Czech Republic in 2003.

Venus Williams is 13-3 in Fed Cup play (10-2 singles, 3-1 doubles) but has not played in the competition since a 2005 semi-final in Russia the week after she won Wimbledon.

"They have said they are both very interested in bringing the title back home and both of them know what sort of commitment that means," added Garrison.