 Photographer: Corinne Dubreuil
Date: 07 Feb 2009 |  Photographer: Corinne Dubreuil
Date: 07 Feb 2009 |  Photographer: Corinne Dubreuil
Date: 07 Feb 2009 |  Photographer: Corinne Dubreuil
Date: 07 Feb 2009 |  Photographer: Corinne Dubreuil
Date: 07 Feb 2009 |  Photographer: Corinne Dubreuil
Date: 07 Feb 2009 |  Photographer: Corinne Dubreuil
Date: 07 Feb 2009 |  Photographer: Corinne Dubreuil
Date: 07 Feb 2009 |  Photographer: Corinne Dubreuil
Date: 07 Feb 2009 |
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| 07 Feb 2009 - Palais des Sport, Orleans - Eli Weinstein | |
| Italy outlasts France 2-0 |
The outcome of day one of the 2009 Fed Cup by BNP Paribas World Group First Round tie between France and Italy could be an indication whether yes or no France would finally be able to beat their Italian nemesis that has dominated the past two ties played between the two nations in 2006 and 2007.
The first rubber of the day put Amelie Mauresmo up against Flavia Pennetta. It all seemed to be going Amelie’s way when she was up a set and a break in the second, but it was there and then that Pennetta, No. 12 in the world, started striking the ball as a player two spots out of the Top 10 should do.
The Italian proceeded to get her break back and tie the set at 3-3 to then force a tiebreaker. She went up 5-1 and had two set points when leading 6-4, both lost by Penetta on two forehand unforced errors. The overruled passing shot that followed gave Mauresmo a 7-6 lead and match point for France, prompting Pennetta to make a rude gesture towards chair umpire Louise Engzell.
Pennetta makes dramatic recovery
“It has never happened to me in my career, lost my cool”, confessed Pennetta. Her moment of craziness was pursued by a poor double fault from an unfocused Mauresmo, sending the tiebreak Italy’s way. In the final set, Mauresmo was up 4-1 and had the opportunity to go up 5-1. Pennetta saw it differently and hung in there giving it her all and she was rewarded, taking a run of five games and giving Italy the first point in 2 hours 43 minutes, with the scoreline 26 76 64.
It was now up to quasi-rookie, Alize Cornet to level the tie, and for that the “Niçoise” needed to beat the likes of Francesca Schiavone, a player that has yet to win a main draw match in 2009. But Fed Cup is a different story.
Clearly overwhelmed by the situation, Cornet dropped the first set 61 in a quick 26 minutes. The new French No. 1 player reacted in the second set and reversed the first set scenario to tie the match at one set apiece after inflicting a 62 second set on Schiavone in 41 minutes.
Schiavone also fights back for victory
The last set was a tight battle and at 6-all with no final set tiebreaker, it was the player with more experience that came out on top. Schiavone prevailed 86, and so handing Italy a commanding 2-0 lead going into Sunday.
“Alize is a great player, but I played well today and I’m very happy as I have yet to win a match this season”, said Schiavone.
France has never come back from a 0-2 deficit in Fed Cup. Will tomorrow be a first?
Related Links on other websites
> Infos en Francais - FFT
> Informazioni in Italiano - FIT
Related Links on Fedcup.com
> Tie Information
> Scorecards and stats from this tie
> Transalpine rivalry continues in Orleans
Related audio
 Interview with Alize Cornet (FRA) - day 1
Interview with Nicolas Escude (FRA) - day 1
Interview with Amelie Mauresmo (FRA) - day 1
Interview with Flavia Pennetta (ITA) - day 1
Interview with Francesca Schiavone (ITA) - day 1
Interview with Corrado Barazzutti (ITA) - day 1
 
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