CHARLEROI, Belgium, 19 September 2006 — Italy were handed their first Fed Cup title when Belgium’s Justine Henin-Hardenne was forced to withdraw through injury in the deciding doubles match on Sunday.
The world No. 2 had picked up a knee injury during her victory over Francesca Schiavone earlier in the day but took to the court for the doubles alongside Kirsten Flipkens.
However, with the sides on a set apiece and Italy two games up in the third, the pain proved too much for the French Open champion and she succumbed to defeat, allowing the Italians to win the final 3-2.
“This is really something special. We are so happy,” Schiavone told reporters.
“I’m sorry for Justine but this sort of thing can always happen.” After the two teams had finished Saturday level at 1-1, victories for Henin-Hardenne and Mara Santangelo on Sunday sent the tie to the wire.
Sunday’s action started with Henin-Hardenne beating Schiavone 6-4, 7-5 while Santangelo, playing in her first Fed Cup singles match, defeated Flipkens 6-7, 6-3, 6-0.
Schiavone and Roberta Vinci were just ahead 3-6, 6-2, 2-0 in the decisive doubles when Henin-Hardenne retired.
Henin-Hardenne, who reached all four Grand Slam finals this year, had been glad to get past Schiavone in two sets in a singles match littered with double faults and unforced errors after hurting her knee.
“I pulled up after the second point, my knee was in a lot of trouble,” she said.
Belgium had been relying on Henin-Hardenne after world No. 4 Kim Clijsters, who played in both of her country’s victories en route to this year’s final, was forced out of action for two months with a recurrence of a wrist injury.
Italy’s victory was just reward for captain Corrado Barazzutti who gambled by giving Santangelo her first Fed Cup singles start in place of Flavia Pennetta, who had only just returned to action after missing the US Open with a wrist injury.
The gamble on the 33rd-ranked player however nearly backfired as the 98th-ranked Flipkens got off to the perfect start by taking the first set. The 20 year-old’s game fell apart in the second set and Santangelo pounced on her every mistake.
The Belgian had her serve broken twice in the second set before putting up some resistance but Santangelo held out to take the set. Flipkens never recovered and was whitewashed in the third set. On Saturday, Henin-Hardenne beat Pennetta 6-4, 7-5, while Schiavone powered past Flipkens 6-1, 6-3 in just over an hour.
Hingis Makes Bright
Start in Calcutta Open
Former world No. 1 Martina Hingis romped to a 6-1, 6-2 victory over Hungary’s Melinda Czink in the first round of the Calcutta Open yesterday.
The Swiss world No. 9, aiming for her second singles title since her return to the game in January, faced a brief fightback early in the second set before prevailing over her 71st-ranked opponent on the slow indoor surface.
Hingis retired in 2002 with foot and ankle injuries and re-established herself among the elite with victory in the Italian Open in May. She is the top seed here and faces Israel’s Tzipora Obziler next.
“I’m happy with the way I played today,” said Hingis.
“I love playing indoors. I’m working on coming in a little bit more and volleying.” Thailand’s Tamarine Tanasugarn, once a top-20 player but now ranked 125th in the world, caused the first upset by scoring a 6-7, 7-5, 6-0 victory over sixth seed Kaia Kanepi of Estonia.
Jankovic Races Into China
Open Second Round
In Beijing, Serbia’s Jelena Jankovic thrashed Lordes Dominguez Lino of Spain 6-0, 6-1 in the first round of the China Open yesterday, her first outing since her US Open heroics two weeks ago.
The 21-year-old sixth seed, who beat three top-10 players on the way to her first Grand Slam semifinal at Flushing Meadows, ruthlessly dispatched Dominguez Lino in 42 minutes at the Beijing Tennis Center.
Despite suffering lingering effects of a back strain that led to her to pull out of the Bali event last week, Jankovic took just 16 minutes to win the first set and clinched a place in the second round on her first match point.
In the evening session, China’s Olympic doubles champion Sun Tiantian secured a second-round appointment with world No. 1 Amelie Mauresmo after a 6-4, 1-6, 6-2 victory over Russian Vera Zvonareva.
China’s No. 3 Peng Shuai capped a great start to the tournament for local hopes by downing Colombia’s Catalina Castano 4-6 7-5 6-3 to claim a second-round tie against Russia’s defending champion and eighth seed Maria Kirilenko or Gisela Dulko of Argentina.
