Italy advances to Fed Cup semifinals

HOBART, Australia, Feb. 6 (UPI) -- Victories Sunday by Francesca Schiavone and Flavia Pennetta boosted two-time defending champion Italy into the semifinals of the Fed Cup over Australia.

Schiavone, who lost her match Saturday, defeated Samantha Stosur 7-6 (7-1), 3-6, 7-5 in a rematch of the 2010 French Open final and Pennetta recorded her second win of the weekend, defeating Jarmila Groth 6-3, 6-2 and sealing the best-of-five quarterfinal series.

Italy also won Sunday's doubles match with Sara Errani and Roberta Vinci topping Anastasia Rodionova and Rennae Stubbs 2-6, 7-6 (7-1), 6-4.

Schiavone fought off three break points in the ninth game of the first set, which would have left Stosur serving for the set and Schiavone took the match lead in the tiebreaker. Stosur had five break-point chances early in the third set but Schiavone held on and ended up giving Italy the series edge.

The final singles match wasn't nearly as close, with Pennetta winning in 66 minutes. Pennetta went up 4-1 in the first set and also grabbed early control in the second.

Italy moves to the Fed Cup semifinals against either France or Russia. The French take a 2-0 lead into Sunday's play in their quarterfinal in Moscow.