Russia goes through to Federation Cup finals after beating U.S.
Russia beat the U.S. 3-2 in the semifinals of the 2007 Federation Cup, the unofficial world women`s tennis team championship, and will now play the defending champions in September.
The Fed Cup, which was held in Stowe, Vermont, went right down to the wire in the final rubber, and it took a tense 1 hour and 41 minute doubles match to decide who would go through to the final. But it was Russia`s Nadezhda Petrova and Yelena Vesnina who finally emerged victorious in a tough straight set`s victory (7:5, 7:6) against the American pairing of Lisa Raymond and recently crowned Wimbledon champion Venus Williams.
The Russian team, which won the Federation Cup in Moscow in 2004 and in Paris in 2005, reached the semifinals after April`s stunning 5-0 quarterfinal victory over Spain at the Moscow Luzhniki Stadium.
The final match will be held September 15-16, with Russia playing the host. Russia will play against the Italian team, who defeated France 3-2.
The Russian team (earlier - U.S.S.R.) and Italy have met three times in the Fed Cup, with Russia winning all previous encounters.
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