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Thursday, August 31
Top four singles players selected for doubles
ESPN.com news services
NEW YORK -- Billie Jean King said she could not take Lisa Raymond as part of the U.S. Olympic doubles team because the tennis governing body's rules forced her to take the top four ranked singles players, and she could not get approval from the International Tennis Federation to take more than four to the Olympics.
"I did fight for her," said King, the U.S. Olympic women's tennis coach. "In fact, we asked the ITF on two occassions ... to have more players than four. We made an incredible effort to make it happen. We were unable to."
Raymond last week lost her arbitration hearing to replace Williams on the team, arguing that she should go since she is ranked No. 1 in the world in doubles. Instead, Williams will team with her sister Venus to represent the United States in doubles.
"I think I went through a lot of anxiety and pain about it, trying to figure it out," King said at a news conference at the U.S. Open. "It's not fun to have to call a player and tell them bad news, which I always do. I never make anyone else do it. It was difficult.
"I have known Lisa since she was 12 years old. ... I absolutely adore Lisa. I must say that Serena and Lisa were very professional in the arbitration. That was probably one of the most -- probably the most difficult -- I ever made, definitely."
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