Italy take 2-0 lead over U.S. in Fed Cup final

By Mark Meadows

REGGIO CALABRIA, Italy (Reuters) - Italy stormed into a 2-0 lead over the United States in the Fed Cup final when Francesca Schiavone outfoxed Melanie Oudin 7-6 6-2 on Saturday.

World number 11 Flavia Pennetta had earlier overpowered Alexa Glatch 6-3 6-1 to give the hosts a strong start.

Schiavone triumphed having been 4-2 down in the first set when rain forced a two-hour delay.

The Italian came back out much the stronger and immediately broke the 18-year-old with an exquisite drop shot.

Her opponent then hit the net with an easy shot on serve in the tiebreak, allowing a confident Schiavone to take it 7-2.

Oudin, the top-ranked U.S. player in the team at 49 after Serena and Venus Williams decided not to compete, broke in the first game of the second set but lost the advantage straight away when she missed with a sliced backhand.

Schiavone then broke to love to move 3-1 up and although she again carelessly dropped her serve, the win was hers.

"Even at 4-2 in the first set there wasn't that big a difference between us, it was very balanced," Schiavone told a news conference.

"Afterwards she made a couple of mistakes and I quickly took advantage and that's through my experience."

Oudin, who also had to deal with the partisan crowd, said the rain break had played a part in her defeat.

"I think it definitely helped her. She came out and started playing a lot better. She wasn't missing anything when she came back out. She changed her game a little bit," the American said.

"I started a little slow ... you can't control the weather."

LOST FOCUS

In the opening match, Pennetta quickly imposed herself and broke Glatch to go 2-1 up thanks in part to a superb drop shot.

She then sealed the first set when the tall American was broken again after going long.