Pennetta leads Italy to Fed Cup win

By Marie-Louise Gumuchian

REGGIO CALABRIA, Italy, Nov 8 (Reuters) - World number 11 Flavia Pennetta was looking forward to a holiday after leading Italy to victory in the Fed Cup tennis final on Sunday.

The 27-year-old, who has been recovering from a knee injury, set up a 4-0 victory over the United States when she beat Melanie Oudin 7-5 6-2 in the third singles rubber.

“It gives me satisfaction, now I can go on holiday even happier,” Pennetta told a news conference after Italy collected their second title. “It’s perfect.”

Pennetta has had a busy year. In August she became the only Italian female to have made the top 10 before slipping to 11th. She was also part of the team that stunned holders Russia in a Fed Cup semi-final in April.

Pennetta gave the hosts a strong start on Saturday when she overpowered 20-year-old Alexa Glatch 6-3 6-1 before team mate Francesca Schiavone beat Oudin.

Pennetta’s participation had been in doubt after she retired with a knee injury at last month’s Kremlin Cup in Moscow.

“It’s a very nice feeling. We worked hard to get to this point and finally we made it,” Pennetta said. “At the beginning of the week everyone expects so many things, and we were very nervous. But now…we can enjoy it.”

Sunday was the fourth time Pennetta, also part of the team that beat Belgium in the 2006 final, had scored the winning point for Italy in a Fed Cup tie. Her 12th Fed Cup singles win ended the Americans’ 9-0 record in ties against the Italians.

“To represent your country is something very different. We always play for ourselves and nobody cares what you do; now here, it’s completely different,” Pennetta said.

The Americans struggled without Serena and Venus Williams, who opted not to compete. The duo have been criticised by U.S. media for failing to represent their country enough but their absence made Italy favourites to win.

“Some people, I guess, didn’t want to play as badly as I did,” world number 49 Oudin said. (Editing by Clare Fallon; To query or comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)