The 18-year-old Oudin, who reached the U.S. Open quarterfinals last year, was officially chosen Wednesday along with Shenay Perry, Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Liezel Huber, according to the International Tennis Federation.
"I'm happy to bring back Melanie, whose toughness and fortitude are important attributes when playing in the Fed Cup competition," United States captain Mary Joe Fernandez said.
Russia will also be without its top players when it faces a Serbian team that will include Jelena Jankovic and Ana Ivanovic on indoor hardcourts in Belgrade on Feb. 6-7.
Instead of second-ranked Dinara Safina, No. 3 Svetlana Kuznetsova, No. 5 Elena Dementieva, No. 9 Vera Zvonareva, No. 19 Nadia Petrova and Maria Sharapova, the Russians will be represented by Alisa Kleybanova, Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, Vera Dushevina and Ekaterina Makarova.
Bojana Jovanovski and Ana Jovanovic are also on Serbia's team.
Also in the first round, defending champion Italy will visit Ukraine in Kharkiv and the Czech Republic will host Germany in Brno - both on indoor hardcourts.
Serena is the top-ranked player in the world, but has often skipped Fed Cup because of other commitments. This time, she and her older sister are bypassing the best-of-five series on indoor clay in Lievin, France, because they have an ownership stake in the Miami Dolphins.
The Super Bowl, which will be played at Miami's stadium on Feb. 7 between the New Orleans Saints and Indianapolis Colts, takes place on the second day of Fed Cup play.
Oudin will be making her fourth straight Fed Cup appearance. Now ranked 48th in the world, she won a key singles match against Argentina last year.
Fernandez, who led the team to the final last year, was confident despite the missing Williams sisters.
"I know the team is committed to working hard again this year, starting next weekend in France," Fernandez said. "I am proud of our team for making the final last year, and I look forward to a strong campaign in 2010."
France will be represented by Alize Cornet, Julie Coin, Pauline Parmentier and Stephanie Cohen-Aloro.
Italy will use Flavia Pennetta, Francesca Schiavone, Sara Errani and Roberta Vinci against the Ukraine's Alona Bondarenko, Kateryna Bondarenko, Viktoria Kutuzova and Mariya Koryttseva. Lucie Safarova, Lucie Hradecka, Petra Kvitova and Kveta Peschke will play for Germany against Andrea Petkovic, Anna-Lena Groenefeld, Tatjana Malek and Kristina Barrois of Germany.
In World Group II, Australian Open semifinalist Zheng Jie will lead China against Slovakia, but both Justine Henin and Kim Clijsters will be missing when Belgium takes on Poland. Also, Australia will face Spain and Estonia will take on Argentina.
Serbia chooses indoor clay to face U.S. in Davis CupGetafe to part with Adrian
