Italians bask in glory of Fed Cup victory
Source: Agencies |
November 9, 2010, Tuesday
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FED Cup holder Italy, living proof that the sum is greater than the parts, entered a new phase in its love affair with the women's team event by clinching the title for a third time in five years on Sunday.
Despite having no great tennis tradition, the experienced Italian line-up beat 17-time winner the United States 3-1 at the San Diego Sports Arena in the best-of-five match final.
"The secret is this is a team which has played with each other a lot and they all respect each other," Italy captain Corrado Barazzutti said. "And they love to play in this competition. In some way, they feel that this competition is their competition, our competition.
"It is almost like a love affair. They feel it's something very important to play for Italy, for their country."
Italian No. 2 Flavia Pennetta, who secured the winning point for her team with a 6-1, 6-2 demolition of 18-year-old American CoCo Vandeweghe in the fourth singles rubber, echoed Barazzutti's theme.
"I really enjoy playing for my country and I really enjoy playing for this team," the 28-year-old said after winning her eighth successive Fed Cup match. "We are all friends with each other and we spend so much time together.
Not all bothered
Pennetta was not all bothered that the Italians outplayed a US team weakened by the absence of top players Serena and Venus Williams for a second successive year in the final.
"Of course, if Serena and Venus want to play, the chances to win are less," the world No. 23 said. "It's normal to say something like that. They are really good players, they are really strong. But we fight a lot to be here, to have this trophy. Before we played the US, we played two important teams and all their best players were there."
Italy beat Ukraine 4-1 in the first round of the world group before sweeping the Czech Republic 5-0 in April to book its place in the final.
"It doesn't make any difference if they (the Williams sisters) play or not play," Pennetta said.
Pennetta won the deciding match after Melanie Oudin beat French Open champion Francesca Schiavone 6-3, 6-1 to keep the US alive.
Vandeweghe wiped away tears at the post-match news conference.
"I was very disappointed in myself and the way that it turned out, but I tried my best out there and fought as hard as I could," she said.
Despite having no great tennis tradition, the experienced Italian line-up beat 17-time winner the United States 3-1 at the San Diego Sports Arena in the best-of-five match final.
"The secret is this is a team which has played with each other a lot and they all respect each other," Italy captain Corrado Barazzutti said. "And they love to play in this competition. In some way, they feel that this competition is their competition, our competition.
"It is almost like a love affair. They feel it's something very important to play for Italy, for their country."
Italian No. 2 Flavia Pennetta, who secured the winning point for her team with a 6-1, 6-2 demolition of 18-year-old American CoCo Vandeweghe in the fourth singles rubber, echoed Barazzutti's theme.
"I really enjoy playing for my country and I really enjoy playing for this team," the 28-year-old said after winning her eighth successive Fed Cup match. "We are all friends with each other and we spend so much time together.
Not all bothered
Pennetta was not all bothered that the Italians outplayed a US team weakened by the absence of top players Serena and Venus Williams for a second successive year in the final.
"Of course, if Serena and Venus want to play, the chances to win are less," the world No. 23 said. "It's normal to say something like that. They are really good players, they are really strong. But we fight a lot to be here, to have this trophy. Before we played the US, we played two important teams and all their best players were there."
Italy beat Ukraine 4-1 in the first round of the world group before sweeping the Czech Republic 5-0 in April to book its place in the final.
"It doesn't make any difference if they (the Williams sisters) play or not play," Pennetta said.
Pennetta won the deciding match after Melanie Oudin beat French Open champion Francesca Schiavone 6-3, 6-1 to keep the US alive.
Vandeweghe wiped away tears at the post-match news conference.
"I was very disappointed in myself and the way that it turned out, but I tried my best out there and fought as hard as I could," she said.
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