Italy set up Fed Cup final clash with Russia

Francesca Schiavone celebrates after defeating Tatiana Golovin in the Fed Cup semi-final in Castellaneta Marina, Italy, on Sunday. PHOTO: EPA

Defending champions Italy defied sweltering heat to come back from 2-1 down to beat France 3-2 and reach the Fed Cup final on Sunday.

The Italians will play Russia, who defeated the US 3-2 in the second semi-final, which also came down to the final doubles rubber.

Francesca Schiavione, who remained unbeaten throughout the weekend, teamed up with Roberta Vinci in the crucial doubles to see off Nathalie Dechy and Severine Bremond 4-6, 6-1, 6-2.

Italy will now face Russia, who beat the US 3-2, in the September 15-16 final.

France were left kicking themselves after throwing away a golden chance to wrap up the semi-final.

Amelie Mauresmo beat Mara Santangelo 6-7 (5/7), 6-0, 6-4 in Sunday's opening singles before Tatiana Golovin threw away a 5-2 final set lead to crumble to a 6-4, 2-6, 7-5 defeat against Schiavone in the second singles rubber of the day.

Golovin became increasingly agitated with the passionate local crowd.

"She got angry and I don't understand it," said French captain Georges Goven. "She was nervous and the match went down the tubes. It's the first time I have seen her in that situation. It was a costly mistake."

Schiavone was included in the doubles team despite having spent 2hr 44min on court against Golovin taking the place of Santangelo.

Golovin gave France their first point of the tie when she beat Tathiana Garbin 6-3, 2-6, 6-2 in Saturday's opening rubber before the home side hit back when Schiavone beat Mauresmo in straight sets.

On Sunday, Santangelo gave it her best in the first set against Mauresmo immediately putting the former world number one on the back foot, who only took the lead in the seventh game at 4-3 converting the first break of the match.

However the French number one failed to keep her nose in front and eventually lost the tie-break despite winning the first five points.

Letting go of the first set seemed to wake Mauresmo up and the former Wimbledon and Australian Open champion came back in the second set, demolishing her rival 6-0 in just 25 minutes.

Following an obligatory 10-minute break due to the searing heat, Mauresmo got off to a bad start in the third set but recovered well to take the rubber.

In Stowe, Vermont, Nadia Petrova and Elena Vesnina overcame doubles standout Lisa Raymond and Wimbledon champion Venus Williams 7-5, 7-6 (7/1) to secure Russia's place in the final.

Williams was a last-minute addition in the do-or-die doubles, but to no avail.

She had already delivered two points for the US, including a quick 6-1, 6-4 victory over Anna Chakvetadze on Sunday that put the Americans 2-1 up.

But Petrova responded with a 6-1, 6-2 victory over inexperienced Meilen Tu to knot the tie at 2-2.

After heavy rain delayed the start of play, Williams powered to an early lead in the first set as Chakvetadze struggled with her serve, coughing up seven double faults.

Chakvetadze steadied herself in the second, but still couldn't manage to break the US veteran.

It was an easy win for Williams compared to Saturday, when she endured a nightmare match against Petrova but eked out a 7-6 (8/6), 0-6, 6-4 victory that saw the Americans finish the opening day level at 1-1.

Chakvetadze had opened the tie with a 6-1, 6-3 victory over 18-year-old American Vania King, who was replaced by Tu in Sunday's singles and then by Williams in the doubles as US captain Zina Garrison sought in vain to find a formula that would bring the Americans to the FedCup final for the first time since 2003.

They haven't won the women's nations tournament since 2000.

Garrison had to make do this week without Serena Williams, who is nursing a hand injury suffered at Wimbledon.

Russia, who have won two of the last three FedCup crowns, were also missing some big names, with reigning US Open champion Maria Sharapova and Svetlana Kuznetsova sidelined by injuries.

Taiwan lost 3-2 to Croatia in their Fed Cup tie in Split on Sunday.

The day started disastrously for the visitors as Ana Vrljic thrashed Chan Chin-wei 6-0, 6-1. That left Hsieh Su-wei needing to win her match against Nika Ozegovic to keep Taiwanese hopes alive.

Things were looking desperate when she lost the first set 6-1 but Hsieh battled back to win the second set 7-5. In the deciding third set Ozegovic reasserted the dominance she had displayed in the opening set to win 6-1 and take the match and the tie for Croatia.

Chan Yung-jan and Chuang Chia-jung claimed a consolation win in the doubles beating Jelena Kostanic Tosic and Vrljic 7-6, 6-3.