What a way to make a Fed Cup debut.

Ahsha Rolle will face a massively favored opponent before a hostile crowd and with a spot in the final on the line when the United States plays defending champion Russia this weekend.

It's not a scenario that seems to bother the 145th-ranked American.

"I played top players before, so I'm confident going into the match," said Rolle, who takes on fourth-ranked Svetlana Kuznetsova in the second singles today. "I'm going to do my best, and she'll do her best, and we'll see who wins."

The Americans come into the best-of-five series as huge underdogs. The top three U.S. players -- Serena and Venus Williams and Lindsay Davenport -- are out.

That leaves the 115th-ranked Vania King as the top player on the team, with teenager Madison Brengle as the reserve singles player. Russia, meanwhile, is fielding two top-10 players and is undefeated at home since 2003.

King will play seventh-ranked Anna Chakvetadze in the opening singles match on indoor clay at the Luzhniki indoor arena. King also opened against Chakvetadze in the 3-2 semifinal loss in Stowe, Vt., last season, losing in straight sets.

Chakvetadze is 5-2 in the Fed Cup and scored a decisive point against Israel in a first-round match in February. She also gave Russia its first point in last season's final, beating Italy's top player, Francesca Schiavone.

In tomorrow's reverse singles, Kuznetsova will play King while Chakvetadze will take on Rolle. In the doubles match, the Russian pair of Elena Vesnina and Vera Zvonareva will face Liezel Huber and King.

The winner of this weekend's tie will play Spain or China in the final in September.

The United States has won a record 17 Fed Cup titles, but its most recent triumph came in 2000. Russia has won three titles in the past four years and has not lost at home since hosting France in 2003.

Russian captain Shamil Tarpishchev has called for his team to guard against overconfidence.

"Our press seems to think we've already won this tie," he said Wednesday. "But you shouldn't underestimate any opponent."

• Monte Carlo Masters: Roger Federer rallied from a set down to defeat David Nalbandian, 5-7, 6-2, 6-2, and advance to the semifinals of the Monte Carlo Masters.

Federer remains on course for a third consecutive final against three-time defending champion Rafael Nadal, who beat No. 5 David Ferrer of Spain, 6-1, 7-5.

The top-ranked Swiss player was shaky in the first set before dominating the next two and breaking Nalbandian's serve five times in five chances, including the first match point.

Federer next plays third-seeded Novak Djokovic, who beat unseeded Sam Querrey of the United States, 6-4, 6-0.

Also, fourth-seeded Nikolay Davydenko defeated unseeded Igor Andreev, 6-3, 4-6, 7-5, despite losing his serve seven times.