(adds quotes, Venus win)
By Sandra Harwitt
DELRAY BEACH, Florida, April 22 - Vania King
rallied from a set down to give the United States an
insurmountable 3-0 lead in the Fed Cup quarter-final tie with a
4-6 6-4 7-5 win over Kirsten Flipkens of Belgium on Sunday.
Venus Williams then cruised to a 6-1 6-2 victory over
Yanine Wickmayer to put the hosts on the brink of a whitewash
with just the final doubles rubber remaining.
In an unexpected turn of events, it was the 83rd-ranked
King who landed the job of clinching the tie.
The 18-year-old was called into the singles in place of
Serena Williams, who was sidelined with an inflammation of the
right knee earlier in the day.
"The whole atmosphere, clinching the tie was just a dream
come true" said King, who held and American flag as she led her
team on a victory lap around the court.
The 132nd-ranked Flipkens, who had the trainer on court
because of leg cramps after the third game of the third set,
had a chance to keep Belgium in the tie when she served for the
match at 5-4 in the final set.
But King broke back with the help of a controversial point
at 15-30 -- an inside out forehand that looked questionable as
to whether it landed in the court -- and closed out the match
on her second match point with another break of serve.
"Before the match I was really nervous," King told
reporters. "It's a different feeling than playing for yourself
when you're playing for your country. It's not just about me
anymore."
The more than two-and-a-half hour match lasted longer than
it took both Venus and Serena Williams to notch up victories on
Saturday, and Flipkens admitted that she did well to go the
distance.
"I was cramping all the third set," she said.
"It's surprising I could play to 7-5. The way I was feeling
it should have been 6-0."
King was due back on court later on Sunday to team up with
Lisa Raymond in the doubles against Caroline Maes and Tamaryn
Hendler.
The United States, which now holds a 5-1 winning record
over Belgium in Fed Cup action, will next host Russia in the
July semi-finals.