The rest of the field

Jennifer Capriati: Won the Australian Open and lost in the final of Roland Garros this year to Serena Williams. Turned pro at 14 and infamously got collared for drugs, stalled her career and then climbed back to the top in probably the best comeback in sports history. A fighter in the Seles mould, she has won three Grand Slams.

Lindsay Davenport: One of the few players who can match Serena and Venus for power. Has had knee surgery this year and is making a strong comeback. Seen as the unassuming champion, Davenport combines articulation with intelligence, not so common on the circuit. She has won three Grand Slams to date.

Jelena Dokic: Dokic emigrated from Serbia to Australia with her family in 1994. Memorably played her way to a Wimbledon quarter-final in 1999 as a complete unknown and followed that with a semi-final run the following year. Father Damir has fallen into all sorts of scrapes with the tennis authorities.

Daniela Hantuchova: Ranked seventh in the world, this Slovak (19) is challenging Anna Kournikova for space on the glamour pages. The sports pages she's already won. Entered the top 10 this year and has an edge to her game that can ruffle even the best. Has managed to pocket $943,486 for her labours this year.

Anna Kournikova: Has struggled with a foot injury, which required surgery. Still looking for her first tour win, Kournikova is a better player than the public give her credit for. But until that first win happens she'll be remembered as the girl who sold bras with the slogan "only the balls should bounce."

Iva Majoli: One of the trick pub quiz questions is: who won the French Open in 1997? Say Hingis and you're wrong. It was Croatian Iva Majoli, a dedicated baseliner (aren't they all), who has just completed her best season in four years in the Grand Slams.

Barbara Schett: Austrian player whose best Grand Slam run was in the 1999 US Open where she went out at the quarter-final stage to Venus Williams. Her ranking went up to seven before the season's end. Now struggling to break into the elite end of the ranking but always a tough player.

Serena Williams: Came close this year to becoming the first female tennis player to earn $4 million in one season. This was done by collecting three Grand Slams at Paris, London and New York. Her ground strokes are harder than anyone else and she serves faster than Andre Agassi.

Venus Williams: The older sister has been over-shadowed lately having been the world number one and also a teenage major winner. The rivalry between the sisters was once a novelty but has become a regularity as they dominate the game. Venus is the taller, more retiring sister, who modestly claims four Grand Slams.

FIXTURES:

Europe v USA

RDS Simmonscourt , Dublin

Thursday

7 pm: L Davenport v B Schett

9 pm: A Kournikova v M Seles

Friday

7 pm: M Seles and L Davenport v B Schett and I Majoli

9 pm: D Hantuchova and J Dokic v S Williams and V Williams

Saturday

10.30 am: S Williams v I Majoli

1.30 pm: V Williams v J Dokic

3.30 pm: D Hantuchova v J Capriati