Fed Cup Final: Forza Italia!

No last-minute miracle for Team U.S.A. Flavia Pennetta clinched the tie 3-0 by beating Melanie Oudin, 75 62, and Roberta Vinci and Sara Errani beat Vania King and Liesel Huber for a perfect 4-0 scoreline. Let’s hear it for the ladies bringing home Italy’s second Fed Cup. Not bad for a country who celebrated its first WTA top-tenner this year.

(My Italian dream involves climbing trees to shout ’Courage and love!’ and then getting kissed in a field of violets on a Tuscan hillside, but each to their own.)

I didn’t see the match in its entirety, but on watching the highlights, it seems to me that Pennetta just turned in a dominating performance. Credit to Oudin, who fought hard, but Flavia simply didn’t let her in to the point where she could dictate the match. It’s no mean feat, especially as her reaction afterwards showed how much the victory meant to her.

Fantastic for Flavia to seal the deal, but it was a team effort and it seemed like everybody there knew it.

A lot of teeth in that team.

Flavs and Schiavs warm my heart.

This should be painted in oils.

Give it up for Corrado Barrazzutti, the man with the unspelleable surname and solid teamwork ethic.

I’m told they’re running away from champagne. This concept eludes me.

It wobbles my lip that Flavs brought on her dad.

Melanie’s not impressed. But Vania’s just happy to be included.

Love.