Venus Williams will return from illness and her sister Serena will play Fed Cup for the first time in nearly five years after being selected in the US team to meet Belarus in an upcoming World Group II tie in Massachusetts.

The team named by US Fed Cup captain Mary Joe Fernandez also includes Christina McHale and Liezel Huber.

Belarus are set to be led by world No.3 Victoria Azarenka.

“I am looking forward to having Serena and Venus on the team for the first time since I became US Fed Cup captain,” Fernandez said.

“They bring so much to this team, not only for what they can do on court, but the influence they will have on Christina and the rest of the team.

“Victoria is playing the best tennis I have seen from her, so we are excited to be facing Belarus in our first match in the United States in two years.”

It will be Venus Williams’ first appearance in sanctioned competition since the US Open, when she revealed she had Sjogren’s Syndrome, an autoimmune disease that can cause fatigue and joint pain.

Serena Williams, who lost in the fourth round at the Australian Open, has not played Fed Cup since 2007.

The 19-year-old McHale, ranked a career-high No.42, will be making her second consecutive appearance and third overall for the American team.

South African-born Huber, 35, has won six of her eight career matches for the US Fed Cup team, including match-clinching semi-final matches in 2009 and 2010.

The winner of the February 4-5 match will advance to the World Group playoff and a chance to compete for the Fed Cup title in 2013.