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The Italians during the opening ceremony
Photographer: Paul Zimmer
Date: 07 Nov 2009
USA during the opening ceremony
Photographer: Paul Zimmer
Date: 07 Nov 2009
Flavia Pennetta (ITA)
Photographer: Paul Zimmer
Date: 07 Nov 2009
Alexa Glatch (USA)
Photographer: Paul Zimmer
Date: 07 Nov 2009
US Captain Mary Joe Fernandez
Photographer: Paul Zimmer
Date: 07 Nov 2009
Flavia Pennetta (ITA)
Photographer: Paul Zimmer
Date: 07 Nov 2009
Photographer: Paul Zimmer
Date: 07 Nov 2009
Photographer: Paul Zimmer
Date: 07 Nov 2009
Photographer: Paul Zimmer
Date: 07 Nov 2009
Photographer: Paul Zimmer
Date: 07 Nov 2009
Photographer: Paul Zimmer
Date: 07 Nov 2009
Photographer: Paul Zimmer
Date: 07 Nov 2009
Photographer: Paul Zimmer
Date: 07 Nov 2009
Photographer: Paul Zimmer
Date: 07 Nov 2009
Photographer: Paul Zimmer
Date: 07 Nov 2009
Photographer: Paul Zimmer
Date: 07 Nov 2009
Photographer: Paul Zimmer
Date: 07 Nov 2009
Photographer: Paul Zimmer
Date: 07 Nov 2009
Photographer: Paul Zimmer
Date: 07 Nov 2009
Photographer: Paul Zimmer
Date: 07 Nov 2009
07 Nov 2009 - Reggio Calabria - Emily Forder-White
USA left with mountain to climb
Italy has taken a 2-0 lead over USA in the 2009 Fed Cup by BNP Paribas Final in Reggio Calabria, Flavia Pennetta and Francesca Schiavone producing two straight-set victories over their lower-ranked opponents, Alexa Glatch and Melanie Oudin on Saturday.

The home side is now in a perfect position to seal its second Fed Cup title in its first ever Final on Italian soil, should Pennetta defeat Oudin in the battle of the No. 1s at 11:00 local time on Sunday.

Oudin gives USA hope

While Pennetta’s 63 61 victory over Glatch, completed in just over one hour, was a little anti-climactic, the match that everyone wanted to see – between the spirited girl who became a household name at the US Open and the effervescent Schiavone who is always a delight to watch in this competition – provided the drama that was required to ignite the cold, wet crowd at the Circolo del Tennis Rocco Polimeni.

Oudin, displaying her national colours with red ribbons in her blond ponytail and a white visor, had been hailed as USA’s best chance of a point in this Final, at the least because of her gutsy performance in USA’s first round tie in Argentina, and her fearless demeanour opposite the world’s biggest players on the Grand Slam stage.

The American displayed both of these qualities in earning a 4-2 lead in the first set against Schiavone, but after torrential rain hit Reggio Calabria at 1:22pm, suspending play for one hour 57 minutes, Oudin’s chances gradually started to fade.

Rain break revives Schiavone

When play resumed in windy conditions, Schiavone took the next three games to level the match at 4-4. Then ensued some sparkling tennis between the two players that had the crowd and both captains on their feet, Oudin saving three break points on her serve to take a 5-4 lead and another at 6-5 before the first tiebreak of the day.

From then, the match went the Italian’s way, first sealing the tiebreak at 7-2 with an outrageous inside-out single-handed backhand return, and then overcoming a break of serve in the opening game of the second set (just like her teammate Pennetta had done earlier in the day), before a winning run of 13 straight points. The rain break had clearly done Schiavone some good.

“We [with Barazzutti] spoke about the attention and maybe not to play too close from the line, but to use the speed and to push her as much as I could and to be aggressive, not wait, wait, wait,” said Schiavone.

After one hour, 37 minutes, Schiavone gave Italy the second point of the day, winning the match 76(2) 62, despite a little trouble closing it out.





Glatch lacked intensity

Pennetta, the first Italian woman ever to make the Top 10 rankings, had a much easier ride in the first rubber of the day.

“I'm really happy about this first match,” enthused Pennetta, who played in front of her friends and family in the crowd. “It's tough to go to the court and play your best tennis when you play such a big event.”

Being broken for the first time can either unsettle a player or spur them into action, and for Pennetta it did the latter. Having comfortably taken the first set 6-3, the Italian lost her way in the opening game of the second set, serving two double faults and succumbing physically to a long baseline rally, thus allowing Glatch to earn her first break. But that only recharged Pennetta’s batteries and the world No. 11 appeared a different player as she took the next six games and the match for Italy.

“When you finish the first set you just breathe a little bit and relax,” explained Pennetta, who displayed no signs of bother from her strapped right ankle.

It was apparent from the start that 132-ranked Glatch was not going to be able to get the better of her opponent, largely due to the fact that she “just wasn’t able to be more aggressive” in the match. Not a natural claycourt player, the American’s limited movement meant she was vulnerable to Pennetta’s wide-angled shots, but there was also a lack of intensity from Glatch, making Pennetta’s presence and dominance on the court ever more apparent.

“At the beginning I thought I had a couple chances, but she played extremely well and didn't give me a lot of opportunities,” said a disappointed Glatch, who had struggled tactically throughout the match, managing to win only 43% of points off her first serve. “You know, there are two things that probably let me down. But, again, she didn't give me much to work with. There’s not much else to say, really.”

Can Oudin provide the inspiration?

Never before has a nation come back from 0-2 down in a Fed Cup Final, and it seems a very distant possibility for USA to become the first, given Italy’s performance today. Nevertheless, Oudin, who will be first up against Pennetta tomorrow, has been in this position before. On her Fed Cup debut against Argentina in February, she lost her opening rubber on the Saturday, but rebounded the next day to keep the US alive in the tie.

“I enjoy the pressure,” said Oudin, still positive after her disappointing loss to Schiavone. “I know the crowd will be going crazy tomorrow but it kind of makes me even more focused on what I’m doing.”

Italian captain Corrado Barazzutti, who played a huge part in Pennetta and Schiavone’s victories on Saturday, remains realistic.“We are very happy but the work is not finished. We have to stay very concentrated, very focused, we have still to play a lot of tennis.”


Related Links on other websites
> Federazione Italiana Tennis
> United States Tennis Association

Related Links on FedCup.com
> Tie Information
> News
> Audio interviews
> Scorecards and statistics

Related audio

  Interview with captain Corrado Barazzutti (ITA) - Saturday

  Interview with Flavia Pennetta (ITA) - Saturday

  Interview with Francesca Schiavone (ITA) - Saturday

  Interview with captain Mary-Joe Fernandez (USA) - Saturday

  Interview with Alexa Glatch (USA) - Saturday

  Interview with Melanie Oudin (USA) - Saturday

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