Events / Guy McCrea / 28 October 2010 /

Guy McCrea talks us through some of the history of this long-running rivalry and tells us which stars will be on show when these two clash next week.

Here we go again. And like last year, it's tough not to be excited by the upcoming Fed Cup Final between the United States and Italy. It will be the 48th final since the competition's inception back in 1963 - a mouth-watering clash of the defending champions against the nation who've won the trophy a record seventeen times. These two countries also have plenty of history, having met on ten previous occasions. Overall, the States have the overwhelming advantage, holding a 9-1 lead. The last time they played against Italy at home was in 2003, when Billie Jean King's team recorded a routine 5-0 win in Washington. Francesca Schiavone is the only current player to also be involved in that tie. But Italy's sole victory was that most recent meeting in last year's final, where they thrashed the Americans 4-0 on clay in Palermo.

Both countries have impressed on their way to the final. The States cruised to a surprisingly-easy 4-1 victory from their first round tie in France. But their home semi-final against Russia illustrated the team's fighting qualities, as they came back from 2-1 down to win the deciding doubles match and claim an unexpected second straight Fed Cup final appearance.

Italy's progress has been as smooth as expected. Their sole moment of difficulty came with a shock defeat for Schiavone in the opening singles rubber of their first round tie in Ukraine. From there they won the clash 4-1, and followed it with a 5-0 drubbing of the Czech Republic in the semi-finals. The home side won all ten sets in that tie. The challenge now for the Italians is to successfully defend the Fed Cup for the first time.
So who might have the edge in the final? Well, Italy possesses a distinct advantage when it comes to personnel. They have reached the final in four of the past five years and have experience aplenty. Flavia Pennetta, Schiavone and Roberta Vinci were named in the team for all of Italy's previous final appearances and Corrado Barazzutti was also the team captain on each occasion. Without doubt, Pennetta is their team leader and a top 20 regular. In addition, Schiavone is the current French Open champion and for years has enjoyed great success on the team stage of the Fed Cup.

Add that recent Luxembourg singles champion Vinci has a perfect 15-0 Fed Cup doubles record - and the Italian line-up is a formidable one.

The thing is, the States should really trump it. But persistently deprived of the Williams sisters because of injury or otherwise, they have relied on others for Fed Cup duty. Neither Venus nor Serena has played Fed Cup since 2007. Instead, the States' squad is likely to include Melanie Oudin, Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Liezel Huber. An unlikely quarter-finalist at last year's U.S. Open, the teenage Oudin hasn't been beyond the second round of any WTA event since mid-April. Mattek-Sands has struggled her way back up to 60 in the singles rankings after a serious hip injury at the start of 2010.

World number one doubles player Huber has again enjoyed great success, winning four WTA titles. But it is just as well for the States that both Oudin and Mattek-Sands have reserved their best performances for the Fed Cup. They will need to rise to the team occasion again because on paper, Italy are stronger.

However, the States do have home advantage to utilise this time. The final is being held at the San Diego Sports Arena in California, which has never previously held a Fed Cup tie, although it has been used for Davis Cup. It will become the eighth American venue to host both a Davis Cup and Fed Cup tie. The American Davis Cup team has never lost in California, having won all seven of its previous ties. An omen for next week? We shall see.

United States captain Mary-Joe Fernandez has chosen to play the final on indoor hardcourt - a surface which will suit the home side far more than the slow red dirt the Italian's selected for last year's showpiece. But the Italians are no slouches on American hardcourts either - Pennetta, Schiavone and Vinci all have WTA hardcourt singles titles in their resumes.

All in all, Italy are favourites to retain their crown next week. So how can the Americans upset the odds and claim a first Fed Cup since 2000? For me, there are at least two key areas.

The first is whether Fernandez chooses to stick with the out-of-form Oudin in the belief that Fed Cup combat can inspire her again, or instead plump for another young talent - Coco Vandeweghe. One of a bright new crop of American women, the 18 year old resides in California and already has a win over world number two Vera Zvonareva in - you guessed it - San Diego this summer.

Doubles specialist Liezel Huber will also play a crucial role in any American triumph. It is telling how many times the States' Fed Cup ties have been decided by the doubles match since the former South African Huber was able to be added to the team. In many ways, her presence as team leader has eliminated a great amount of the negativity that might have been pointed towards Serena and Venus had the States not achieved so much these past two years. Huber (with Mattek-Sands) won the semi-final against Russia. If the States are to win next week, the veteran will probably have to do the same again.

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