Skip to main content
U.S. Edition
Search
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
WORLD SPORT

Schiavone shocks Mauresmo in Cup

story.schiavone.afp.gi.jpg
Schiavone had already won her opening singles tie on Saturday.

NANCY, France -- Francesca Schiavone saved a match point as she beat world number one Amelie Mauresmo 4-6 7-6 6-4 to give Italy a 2-1 lead over France in their Fed Cup first round tie in Nancy on Sunday.

Mauresmo saved one match point in an extremely tight contest, but bowed out by hitting a backhand wide.

There was some confusion after the final point, Mauresmo and France captain Georges Goven briefly contesting the umpire's call before accepting defeat.

Mauresmo had humbled Flavia Pennetta 6-1 6-1 to put France level at 1-1 on Saturday.

In the first singles, Schiavone sent the Italians in front with a 6-7 6-3 6-3 victory over Nathalie Dechy.

Anabel Medina Garrigues crushed Austria's Sybille Bammer 6-0 6-3 in Valencia to put Spain into the final four for the third season running, with two rubbers still to play.

The five-times Cup winners meet either France, who have knocked them out in the last three seasons, or Italy in the semifinals in July.

Spain's number one roared through the first set with three breaks of serve and broke early in the second.

Although Austria's left hander fought back to level at 3-3 she lost her next service game leaving Medina Garrigues to serve out the match.

Spain had gone two up on Saturday with Spanish debutant Lourdes Dominguez-Lino overcoming Bammer 7-6 3-6 6-3 in an opening singles rubber that lasted over two and a half hours.

Medina Garrigues took the second rubber beating Yvonne Meusburger 6-3 7-5.

U.S. go through

Fed Cup rookie Jamea Jackson beat Martina Mueller of Germany 7-6 6-2 send the United States into the semifinals.

Jackson's second win from two matches in her Cup debut gave the Americans an unbeatable 3-1 lead in the best-of-five series before the doubles.

The U.S. team, record 17-time champions, will meet either Belgium or Russia in the semifinals.

Earlier, Anna-Lena Groenefeld beat Jill Craybas 6-2, 7-5 to narrow the Americans' lead to 2-1.

Mueller was a late replacement for Julia Schruff, who had cramps during her loss to Craybas on Saturday.

"Anna-Lena played very well, she served very well and I struggled a little bit with my serve. She took advantage of that," Craybas said.

Craybas was promoted to No. 1 on the U.S. team after the withdrawals of the Williams sisters and Lindsay Davenport.

"She came out determined to win and she was hot from the start," Craybas said.

Groenefeld played with confidence on Sunday, even after she dropped serve while trying to close it out. A forehand return winner allowed Craybas to stay in the match.

The American held serve in the next game, as did Groenefeld, and in the next game a double-fault by Craybas gave Groenefeld her first match point. She squandered it with a forehand into the net, but then hit a forehand winner to end the match.

Belgian Kim Clijsters put her opening loss behind when she beat Russia's Maria Kirilenko to put the hosts within sight of victory in their match in Liege.

Clijsters was shocked by Elena Dementieva on Saturday but she came out firing on all cylinders to rush to a 6-1 6-4 victory which gave Belgium a 2-1 advantage.

Story Tools
Click Here to try 4 Free Trial Issues of Time! cover
Top Stories
Get up-to-the minute news from CNN
CNN.com gives you the latest stories and video from the around the world, with in-depth coverage of U.S. news, politics, entertainment, health, crime, tech and more.
Top Stories
Get up-to-the minute news from CNN
CNN.com gives you the latest stories and video from the around the world, with in-depth coverage of U.S. news, politics, entertainment, health, crime, tech and more.
 
 
 
 
CNN U.S.
CNN TV E-mail Services CNN Mobile CNNAvantGo Ad Info About Us Preferences
Search
© 2007 Cable News Network LP, LLLP.
A Time Warner Company. All Rights Reserved.
Terms under which this service is provided to you.
Read our privacy guidelines. Contact us. Site Map.
Offsite Icon External sites open in new window; not endorsed by CNN.com
Pipeline Icon Pay service with live and archived video. Learn more
Radio News Icon Download audio news  |  RSS Feed Add RSS headlines