CHARLEROI, Belgium, Sept. 17 (UPI) -- Despite falling behind 2-1 to Belgium midway through the Fed Cup tournament, Italy rallied to defeat its hosts and win the event's championship.
Behind performances from Mara Santangelo, Francesca Schiavone and Roberta Vinci, Italy won the 2006 Fed Cup title Sunday at Charleroi and improved to 7-0 all-time against Belgium.
Santangelo managed a 6-7 (3-7), 6-3, 6-0 victory over Belgium's Kirsten Flipkens to force a final doubles match between the two countries in the best-of-five series.
It was then that Schiavone, who had lost in single's play to Justine Henin-Hardenne Saturday, was able to atone alongside Vinci by posting an injury-limited 3-6, 6-2, 2-0 victory over Flipkens and Henin-Hardenne.
Henin-Hardenne was forced to withdraw from the match in the third set due to a knee injury and that allowed the Italians, who were in their first-ever Fed Cup finals, to win the tournament.
