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Top 5 Photos, 2/9: Team USA advances; Magnificent Monfils

By Jordaan Sanford

Fed Cup ties came down to deciding rubbers on Saturday, and on Sunday, Gael Monfils came out victorious to claim his ninth career title. These are the Top 5 photos from this weekend. (All photos Getty Images).

1

The United States team was pushed to bring their best against Latvia. On Saturday, Serena Williams suffered her first Fed Cup singles loss, after Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin came up short in closing out the tie.

EVERETT, WASHINGTON - FEBRUARY 08: (L-R) Alison Riske, Kathy Rinaldi, Serena Williams, Sofia Kenin, Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Coco Gauff of USA pose for a photo while celebrating their win against Team Latvia to advance in the 2020 Fed Cup qualifier at Angel of the Winds Arena on February 08, 2020 in Everett, Washington. (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images)
© Abbie Parr

2

It all came down to  a doubles decider in Everett, Wash. Kenin and Bethanie Mattek-Sands stormed past Latvia's Jelena Ostapenko and Anastasija Sevastova 6-4, 6-0, to secure the U.S.' spot in the Fed Cup finals. Ostapenko and Sevastova pulled double duty after defeating Kenin and Williams in the day's singles rubbers.

EVERETT, WASHINGTON - FEBRUARY 08: Sofia Kenin of USA (L) and Bethanie Mattek-Sands of USA celebrate after defeating Anastasija Sevastova of Latvia and Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia in the women's doubles to advance Team USA in the 2020 Fed Cup qualifier at Angel of the Winds Arena on February 08, 2020 in Everett, Washington. (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images)
© Getty Images

3

"I think I played very solid again and I was very happy with the way I handled the key moments," said Gael Monfils after claiming his third Montpellier title. The Frenchman defeated Vasek Pospisil, 7-5, 6-3, to tie countryman Richard Gasquet’s tournament record.

France's Gael Monfils reacts after winning during his final match against Canadia's Vasek Pospisil at their ATP World Tour Open Sud de France tennis match in Montpellier, southern France, on February 9, 2020. (Photo by Pascal GUYOT / AFP) (Photo by PASCAL GUYOT/AFP via Getty Images)
© AFP via Getty Images

4

Belarus is also headed to the Fed Cup Finals in Budapest after holding off The Netherlands, 3-2. Coming back from a 1-2 deficit, Aliaksandra Sasnovich and Aryna Sabalenka edged past Kiki Bertens and Demi Schuurs, 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (8), in the thrilling doubles decider.

Aryna Sabalenka and Aljaksandra Sasnovitsj from Belarus react after winning against Kiki Bertens and Demi Schuurs of Netherlands in the decisive doubles during their Fed Cup qualifier match in The Hague on February 8, 2020. (Photo by Ronald HOOGENDOORN / ANP / AFP) / Netherlands OUT (Photo by RONALD HOOGENDOORN/ANP/AFP via Getty Images)
© ANP/AFP via Getty Images

5

Competing in her final year on tour, Carla Suarez Navarro dominated the Fed Cup court from start to finish to post a 6-1 6-3 victory against Japan's Kurumi Nara. The win punched Spain's ticket to Budapest.

Spain's Carla Suarez returns the ball to Japan's Kurumi Nara during their Fed Cup qualifier tennis match between Spain and Japan on February 8, 2020 at La Manga Club in Cartagena. (Photo by JOSE JORDAN / AFP) (Photo by JOSE JORDAN/AFP via Getty Images)
© AFP via Getty Images