Russia Sweeps Defending Titlist Italy Out of Fed Cup Finals

Tennis Now!

Italy fell completely flat to Russia this weekend with the clear absence of the team's two strongest players, Flavia Pennetta and Francesca Schiavone. World No. 3 and Russia's No. 1 Vera Zvonareva sealed the victory when she defeated Roberta Vinci 6-4, 6-4 that gave Russia a 3-0 lead. Italy could not take a rubber.

“I think this is one of the biggest emotions of my life. I haven’t played for my country for two years and I really wanted to give this match to my team,” said Zvonareva.

Russia will meet the Czech Republic in the Fed Cup finals on November 5-6 in Russia. The Czechs upset the Belgians as the two teams traded singles wins making the doubles the ultimate match to decide a victory. Petra Kvitova dominated both of the singles rubbers but Iveta Benesova and Barbora Zahlavova Strycova defeated Kirsten Flipkins and Yanina Wickmayer 6-4, 6-4. Captain Sabine Appelmans only used the two top players for Belgium for singles and doubles and it seemed the two ran out of steam.

Germany, Serbia, Spain and Ukraine were victorious in the World Group playoffs and will be a part of the 2012 World Group. The teams they defeated—Australia, France, Slovak Republic and the USA—fell to playing in the 2012 World Group 11 and will be joined by the winners of the World Group II playoffs—Belarus, Slovenia and the winner of Argentina's and Japan's faceoff in July.

WORLD GROUP SEMIFINALS

RUSSIA defeated ITALY 
Final Score: 5-0
Venue: Sports Palace Megasport, Moscow, RUS (hard – indoors)

Vera Zvonareva (RUS) d. Sara Errani (ITA) 6-0, 6-2
Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS) d. Roberta Vinci (ITA) 6-2, 6-7(4), 6-1
Vera Zvonareva (RUS) d. Roberta Vinci (ITA) 6-4, 6-2
Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS) d. Sara Errani (ITA) 7-6(5), 7-6(4)
Ekaterina Makarova / Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS) d. Alberta Brianti / Maria-Elena Camerin (ITA) 7-6(3), 6-1

CZECH REPUBLIC defeated BELGIUM 
Final Score: 3-2
Venue: Spiroudome, Charleroi, BEL (hard – indoors)

Petra Kvitova (CZE) d. Kirsten Flipkens (BEL) 6-2, 7-6(4)
Yanina Wickmayer (BEL) d. Barbora Zahlavova Strycova (CZE) 6-4, 6-4
Petra Kvitova (CZE) d. Yanina Wickmayer (BEL) 5-7, 6-4, 6-2 
Kirsten Flipkens (BEL) d. Barbora Zahlavova Strycova (CZE) 6-2, 6-3
Iveta Benesova / Barbora Zahlavova Strycova (CZE) d. Kirsten Flipkens / Yanina Wickmayer (BEL) 6-4, 6-4


WORLD GROUP PLAYOFFS

GERMANY defeated USA
Final Score: 5-0 
Venue: Porsche Arena, Stuttgart, GER (clay – indoors)

Andrea Petkovic (GER) d. Christina McHale (USA) 6-3, 6-4
Julia Goerges (GER) d. Melanie Oudin (USA) 6-2, 7-6(5)
Andrea Petkovic (GER) d. Melanie Oudin (USA) 6-2, 6-4
Sabine Lisicki (GER) d. Christina McHale (USA) 6-3, 6-4
Julia Goerges / Anna-Lena Groenefeld (GER) d. Liezel Huber / Vania King (USA) 3-6, 6-3, 6-1

SPAIN defeated FRANCE
Final Score: 4-1
Venue: Club de Tenis Lleida, Lleida, ESP (clay – outdoors)

Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez (ESP) d. Virginie Razzano (FRA) 6-2, 6-4
Aravane Rezai (FRA) d. Anabel Medina Garrigues (ESP) 7-5, 6-7(4), 6-2
Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez (ESP) d. Aravane Rezai (FRA) 6-1, 6-4
Lourdes Dominguez-Lino (ESP) d. Pauline Parmentier (FRA) 6-4, 6,4
Nuria Llagostera Vives / Anabel Medina Garrigues (ESP) d. Alize Cornet / Virginie Razzano (FRA) 6-4, 6-1

SERBIA defeated SLOVAK REPUBLIC 
Final Score: 3-2
Venue: Sibamac Arena, Bratislava, SVK (clay – indoors)

Dominika Cibulkova (SVK) d. Bojana Jovanovski (SRB) 46 63 61
Ana Ivanovic (SRB) d. Daniela Hantuchova (SVK) 62 64
Dominika Cibulkova (SVK) d. Ana Ivanovic (SRB) 64 3-3 ret.
Jelena Jankovic (SRB) d. Daniela Hantuchova (SVK) 62 36 75 
Jelena Jankovic / Aleksandra Krunic (SRB) d. Daniela Hantuchova / Magdalena Rybarikova (SVK) 26 75 97 

UKRAINE defeated AUSTRALIA
Final Score: 3-2
Venue: Glen Iris Valley Recreation Club, Melbourne, AUS (clay – outdoors)

Jarmila Groth (AUS) d. Olga Savchuk (UKR) 6-1, 6-1
Lesia Tsurenko (UKR) d. Anastasia Rodionova (AUS) 6-1, 6-4
Jarmila Groth (AUS) d. Lesia Tsurenko (UKR) 6-1, 6-3
Olga Savchuk (UKR) d. Anastasia Rodionova (AUS) 7-6(3), 7-6(12) 
Lesia Tsurenko / Olga Savchuk (UKR) d. Jarmila Groth / Anastasia Rodionova (AUS) 0-6 7-6(3), 6-3


WORLD GROUP II PLAYOFFS

BELARUS defeated ESTONIA 
Final Score: 5-0
Venue: Palace of Sport, Minsk, BLR (hard – indoors)

Victoria Azarenka (BLR) d. Anett Kontaveit (EST) 6-2, 6-0
Olga Govortsova (BLR) d. Margit Ruutel (EST) 6-0, 6-0
Darya Kustova (BLR) d. Maret Ani (EST) 6-3, 6-1
Olga Govortsova (BLR) d. Anett Kontaveit (EST) 6-0, 6-2
Darya Kustova / Tatiana Poutchek (BLR) d. Maret Ani / Anett Kontaveit (EST) 6-2, 6-3 

SLOVENIA defeated CANADA 
Final Score: 3-2 
Venue: Teniski Klub Koper, Koper, SLO (clay – outdoors)

Rebecca Marino (CAN) d. Masa Zec-Peskiric (SLO) 6-3, 7-5
Polona Hercog (SLO) d. Eugenie Bouchard (CAN) 6-0, 6-4
Polona Hercog (SLO) d. Rebecca Marino (CAN) 5-7, 6-2, 8-6
Eugenie Bouchard (CAN) d. Masa Zec-Peskiric (SLO) 6-4, 6-1 
Polona Hercog / Katarina Srebotnik (SLO) d. Sharon Fichman / Rebecca Marino (CAN) 7-6(5), 6-2 

SWITZERLAND defeated SWEDEN 
Final Score: 4-1
Venue: TC Lido Lugano, Lugano, SUI (clay – outdoors)

Timea Bacsinszky (SUI) d. Johanna Larsson (SWE) 7-6(2), 6-1
Patty Schnyder (SUI) d. Sofia Arvidsson (SWE) 6-1, 6-0
Patty Schnyder (SUI) d. Johanna Larsson (SWE) 3-6, 7-5, 6-2
Timea Bacsinszky (SUI) d. Sofia Arvidsson (SWE) 6-3, 6-1
Anna Brazhnikova / Sandra Roma (SWE) d. Amra Sadikovic / Stefanie Voegele (SUI) 7-5, 6-4

Tennis Now!