Serena, Kenin and Gauff prep for Fed Cup tie

You know it's a star-studded squad when the Australian Open champion and newly crowned U.S. No. 1 doesn't get a center spot in the team photo.

Team USA kicks off its Fed Cup Qualifier against Latvia in Everett, Wash., on Friday, and with Olympic eligibility tied to participation on the tournament, the slate of matches is exceptional in quality.

In the opening rubber, Sofia Kenin, fresh off her life-changing Melbourne run, faces No. 41 Anastasija Sevastova, whom she's already beaten this year, 7-6 (1), 6-4, in Brisbane.

The Americans also have a pretty good No. 2 player, in Serena Williams. Second on Friday, she's scheduled to play her first Fed Cup singles match since 2015, versus 2017 Roland Garros champion Jelena Ostapenko.

"To play against Serena, I think is a great opportunity to share the court with such a great player," Ostapenko told the USTA. "She's done so much for our sport. She was always my idol since I was growing up."

On Saturday, those singles matches are reversed, with Kenin playing Ostapenko and Serena opposite Sevastova.

That leaves world No. 18 Alison Riske off the initial singles lineup, as well as Coco Gauff, who's ranked No. 51 playing an age-restricted schedule, but seems to have a strong showing in almost every event she enters.

The anticipated fifth-rubber doubles pairings are Riske teamed with nine-time Slam winner Bethanie Mattek-Sands versus, again, Ostapenko and Sevastova.

The winning nations from this weekend will qualify for the new, 12-team Fed Cup Finals in Budapest in April.

Play in Washington on Friday begins at 7:30 p.m. PST.