Russia take Fed Cup for first time
 |  Hat-trick heroine. Myskina's three victories spurred Russia to their first Fed Cup title. |
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MOSCOW, Russia -- French Open champion Anastasia Myskina came to the rescue of home favorites Russia as they won the deciding doubles to clinch the Fed Cup crown by three rubbers to two against France in Moscow.
Myskina was drafted into the doubles in partnership with Vera Zvonareva after Tatiana Golovin had squared the final up at 2-2 with an upset win over Svetlana Kuznetsova.
Myskina and Zvonareva beat Emilie Loit and Marion Bartoli 7-6 7-5 to give Russia their first Fed Cup title.
It completed a nervy victory for the Russians over France, who despite being defending champions were very much the underdogs against a home line-up that could ignore Wimbledon champion Maria Sharapova.
France were also missing world number two Amelie Mauresmo and twice grand slam champion Mary Pierce.
Mykina had put the home team 2-1 ahead as she eased past France's first day heroine Nathalie Dechy 6-3 6-4 for her second singles victory in the final.
But U.S. Open champion Kuznetsova, who folded on Saturday against Dechy, played poorly again to go down 6-4 6-1 in the second reverse singles.
The deciding doubles proved fittingly tense. Myskina replaced Elena Likhovtseva to rejoin Zvonareva only a month after they won their first WTA title together at the Kremlin Cup in Moscow.
Bartoli and Loit, Wimbledon doubles quarterfinalists, served for the first set at 6-5 but squandered four set points, and Myskina's backhand pass converted the break and forced a tiebreaker.
Russia came back from 0-3 to go up 6-4 in the tiebreak. France saved one set point but Myskina secured the first set with another backhand winner down the line.
The second set seesawed more than the first before the Russian pair made a decisive break in the 11th game and held serve to win the final for the first time in five attempts, and send a home crowd including former president Boris Yeltsin into fierce celebrations at Krylatskoye Ice Palace.
Reuters contributed to this report.
