Sport - Tennis

Pennetta to meet Glatch in opening match

REGGIO CALABRIA: Flavia Pennetta can settle scores with Alexa Glatch in the opening match of the Fed Cup final on Saturday.

Italy meets the United States on a slow red clay court in the best-of-five series beginning on Saturday at the Rocco Polimeni Club.

Pennetta has had a great year, winning back-to-back titles in Palermo, Sicily, and Los Angeles en route to becoming the first female Italian player ever to reach the top 10 last August. Yet one of the worst moments of her year came in the opening round of the French Open, when she was routed 6-1, 6-1 by Glatch.

Italy’s No. 2 player, Francesca Schiavone, will face U.S. Open quarterfinalist Melanie Oudin in the second singles on Saturday. Schiavone and the 18-year-old Oudin have also met once before, with the Italian winning 6-1, 6-1 in Indian Wells, California, last year.

Reverse singles are set for Sunday, plus a possible decisive doubles match featuring Sara Errani and Roberta Vinci for Italy against Liezel Huber and Vania King of the United States.

Italy is playing its third final in four years, having upset Justine Henin and Belgium to take the 2006 title.

The U.S. has won a record 17 Fed Cups but is on a dry streak stretching back to 2000. — AP

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