Top-ranked Serena Williams was riding high after winning the year-end Sony Ericsson Championships in Doha, Qatar, where she set a single-season record by earning $6,545,586. The previous record was $5,429,586 set by Justine Henin in 2007.

Earlier in the year, Williams surpassed Lindsay Davenport as the all-time career prize money leader in women's tennis, and also became the first female athlete to earn more than $23 million in a single professional sports league. Her career earnings are $28,506,993.

So, Fed Cup captain Mary Joe Fernandez was thrilled when Serena initially committed to play in this weekend's Fed Cup final against Italy. Having Williams on the roster would have made the U.S. a favorite against a strong Italian team that includes NO. 11 Flavia Pennetta and No. 16 Francesca Schiavone.

But Serena pulled out days before the team flew over, citing fatigue. Instead, she is in London, where she has been tweeting about her vacation. Her sister, Venus, had also initially said she'd play and then changed her mind.

The withdrawal of the Williams sisters leaves No. 49 Melanie Oudin, the U.S. Open teen sensation, as the top American player.

The United States hasn't made a final since 2003, and last won the Fed Cup in 2000.

Oudin has struggled since the U.S. Open. She lost in the qualifying rounds in Tokyo and Beijing, and then battled a bad flu that kept her off the court in recent weeks.

Nevertheless, Fernandez has high hopes for Oudin: ``Melanie did have a tough time in Asia, and didn't play so well. Partly, she was fatigued. But everyone has seen her fight, her courage. She really stepped up (in a previous Fed Cup match) against Argentina and her personality is very contagious and rubs off on everybody else. She's a great asset to have on the team.''

Italy is led by Pennetta, who recently became the first Italian woman to reach the top 10, and Schiavone, the winner of last week's Moscow title. The matches will be played on outdoor slow red clay.

MARTINA, CHRIS REUNITE

Martina Navratilova will join her former rival at the Chris Evert/Raymond James Pro-Celebrity Tennis Classic this weekend at Delray Beach Tennis Center.

Others scheduled to attend are Davenport, Monica Seles, Pam Shriver, Justin Gimelstob, Vince Spadea, actress Elisabeth Shue, actor Jon Lovitz, Today host Matt Lauer and Olympic gold medalist Bruce Jenner. Bud Collins will emcee.

Tickets for the tennis and Gala dinner are available through Chris Evert Charities at 561-394-2400 or chrisevert.org. General admission tickets are $20 per day. Series tickets are $70 and individual day club seats are $40 for each day. Children 10 and under are free if accompanied by a paid adult in the general admission section.

PAYBACK

Israeli player Shahar Peer hasn't forgotten that Andy Roddick boycotted a tournament in the United Arab Emirates after Peer was denied a visa for the Dubai event. She is returning the favor by participating in the Andy Roddick Charity Weekend, which is Dec. 12-13 at the Boca Raton Polo Club and Boca Point Country Club.

Others expected are Serena and Venus Williams, Andy Murray, Gimelstob and Boyd Tinsley of the Dave Matthews Band. Tickets are $25-$100 for the exhibition and $250 for the Gala. Proceeds go to organizations that help underprivileged children. Roddick has raised $10 million since 2001. For information, call 561-620-9449.

• James Blake and Tommy Haas have joined defending champion Mardy Fish in the field for the 2010 Delray Beach International Tennis Championships, Feb. 20-28. The top-ranked doubles team of Bob and Mike Bryan also will play.

John McEnroe, Mats Wilander, Pat Cash and Aaron Krickstein will play the Champions Tour event the same weekend. Tickets are available atyellowtennisball.com or by calling 561-330-6000.

• Andre Agassi, whose memoir Open hits bookshelves Monday, will be in South Florida on Nov. 15 and 16. He will sign at Sawgrass Mills' Books A Million in Sunrise on the 15th and do a Books & Books event the 16th at Temple Judea in Coral Gables.