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Italy reach Fed Cup final with whitewash

Flavia Pennetta starred for Italy © Getty Images

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Defending champions Italy claimed a 5-0 whitewash against the Czech Republic to qualify for their fourth Fed Cup final in five years.

Italy, who took a 2-0 lead into the second day of competition, were guaranteed a place in the final after Flavia Pennetta beat Petra Kvitova 7-6(3) 6-2 to give them an insurmountable 3-0 lead.

Kvitova - a late replacement for Lucie Safarova, who injured her shoulder on Saturday - faded badly in the second set, leading Pennetta to laud an "incredible" victory. "It's incredible to be in the final again," she said. "Once more we've done something great."

Sara Errani defeated Lucie Hradecka 6-4 6-2 in the other singles rubber, before Errani and Francesca Schiavone teamed up to beat Lucie Hradecka and Kveta Peschke 6-2 6-4.

Italy will meet the US in the final after they came from behind to beat Russia 3-2 in order to set up a repeat of last year's title clash. The US are chasing their 18th Fed Cup triumph.

Bethanie Mattek-Sands was the hero of the hour after she beat Ekaterina Makarova to level the contest at 2-2. Mattek-Sands held her nerve in a tense final set to win 6-4 2-6 6-3.

She then partnered Liezel Huber in the doubles, which the US were always favourites to win, and they duly obliged by beating Elena Dementieva and Alla Kudryavtseva 6-3 6-1.

In the World Group play-offs, Belgium shrugged off the disappointment of losing the injured Kim Clijsters to defeat Estonia. They will be joined by France in the World Group next year after they won the last two matches of their tie against Germany.

Andrea Petkovic beat Aravane Rezai 6-1 7-6(2) to put the Germans 2-1 up, before Pauline Parmentier levelled the tie by defeating Julia Goerges 7-6(2) 6-4. In the deciding rubber, the French duo of Julie Coin and Alize Cornet beat Kristina Barrois and Petkovic 6-3 6-1.

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