Written by
The Sports Network
Biella, Italy (Sports Network) - Italy got a big doubles win from Flavia
Pennetta and Roberta Vinci in Sunday's fifth and deciding rubber in their Fed
Cup quarterfinal against visiting Ukraine, as the Italians won the best-of-
five encounter, 3-2.
Italy headed into Sunday in a 1-1 deadlock with the Ukrainians after Sara
Errani and Ukrainian Lesia Tsurenko posted singles victories on Saturday.
In Sunday's first reverse singles rubber, last year's French Open runner-up
and 2010 Roland Garros titlist Francesca Schiavone came from behind to beat
Kateryna Bondarenko 6-7 (6-8), 7-5, 6-4 to give the Italians a short-lived 2-1
edge. The upstart world No. 121 Tsurenko, who stunned the 11th-ranked
Schiavone 6-1, 6-2 on Saturday, then flattened Sara Errani, 6-1, 3-0, when
Errani retired from their bout on Day 2, leaving the series knotted at 2-2 at
Biella's Lauretana Forum.
In the final rubber of the weekend, Pennetta and Vinci broke the deadlock by
holding off a Ukrainian duo of Tsurenko and Olga Savchuk 7-5, 0-6, 6-1 to send
Italy into the semifinals. Pennetta replaced Errani in the doubles match.
The powerful Italians have won three of the last six Fed Cup titles,
including back-to-back crowns in 2009 and 2010. They are now 4-0 all-time
against Ukraine in Fed Cup play.
Up next for Italy in April will be the reigning Fed Cup champion Czech
Republic.
The Sports Network