In the Federation Cup semifinals played in Birmingham, after the U.S. and Russia split the first two rubbers, Melanie Oudin started out the day with a loss.  Elena Dementieva  defeated Oudin 7-6,0-6,6-3 to put Russia ahead 2-1.  An unlikely savior emerged to pull the Americans through. Bethanie Mattek-Sands beat 6-4,2-6,6-3 Ekaterina Makarova in singles.  Then, less than one hour later, Mattek-Sands partnered with Liezel Huber trouncing Alla Kudryavtseva and Dementieva 6-3,6-1 giving the U.S. a 3-2 win over Russia and a berth in the finals.

In the initial match yesterday, after being unsettled in the beginning, Oudin found her game. Oudin took the rubber 6-3,6-3 over Kudryavtseva.  However, in the second tie, Dementieva despite the reappearance of her service woes fought off Mattek-Sands to prevail 6-4, 6-3.

Today, the first rubber featured Dementieva and Oudin.  After each player was broken five consecutive times, each held sending the first set to a tiebreaker.  Dementieva got an initial mini-break, but lost her two service points to give Oudin a 2-1 advantage.  Again at 3 all, Oudin connected on a forehand winner for a mini-break lead.  However, by forcing a string of errors, Dementieva won the next four points to steal the set.

After opening with a service break, Oudin ran away with the second set capturing it at love.  In the decisive third set, Oudin got three successive forehand errors from Dementieva to obtain the break for 2-1.  However, by conversely pressuring Oudin into multiple miscues, Dementieva equalized the set at 2 all.  On the heels of love hold, Dementieva placed a great return thereby provoking an error from Oudin for break point.  When Oudin sliced the backhand into the net, Dementieva went up 4-2.  After dismissing two break points, Dementieva threw in an ace to consolidate for 5-2.  Later, Dementieva closed out the match with a love game to hand Russia a 2-1 lead.

With the U.S. in a must win position, Mattek-Sands faced Makarova in the next match.   After allowing two game points to evaporate and handing the break to Makarova to open the set, Mattek-Sands held serve to keep within striking distance.  With Makarova serving at 4-3, using sensational defense, Mattek-Sands enticed a backhand error from her opponent for double break point.  With a great return followed by a volley winner, Mattek-Sands leveled the set at 4 all.  After wiping out break point and holding, Mattek-Sands erased two game points by Makarova to snatch the set.

The second set, with a backhand volley winner, Makarova had double break point.  The Russian converted a backhand down the line winner to break in the first game.  Serving at 2-1, Makarova saved eight break points before finally guarding serve.  Subsequently, after Mattek-Sands had 40-0, Makarova found a way to break extending her lead to 4-1.  The players traded breaks the next two games. Serving for the set, Makarova effaced two more break points and ultimately pocketed the set.

In the third set, Mattek-Sands drew the first break for 2-0.  But, Makarova broke back promptly.  Still by staying aggressive, Mattek-Sands forced Makarova to misfire with the backhand for triple break point. Next with a forehand up the line return winner, Mattek-Sands was out in front 3-1.  After consolidating for 4-1, Mattek-Sands pushed Makarova into donating a few errors stretching her lead to 5-1.  Subsequent to dropping serve her first time serving for the match, the second time, with a volley winner, Mattek-Sands arrived at match point.  When Makarova’s forehand sailed long, Mattek-Sands seized the rubber.

In the doubles rubber, Huber and Mattek-Sands battled Dementieva and Kudryavtseva and from the outset, the Russians looked out of sorts. After a strong opening game by Huber and exchanged of breaks, with a mid-court volley winner, the U.S. team had another break point.  When the Russians dumped a volley into the net, the U.S. went ahead 3-1.  After easily consolidating and with Mattek-Sands closing out a love game with an ace, the U.S. extended its advantage to 5-2.  Later, Huber closed out the set with a strong service game.

With a break, Huber and Mattek-Sands grabbed the first game of the second set.  Then, by continuing their strong net play, they took a 2-0 advantage.  In a game where Dementieva was in front 40-15, the Americans fought back to capture a second break for 3-0.  Despite Mattek-Sands dropping serve to reduce the deficit to 3-1, a visibly dejected Russian side seemed to have nothing further to give.  With Kudryavtseva serving, Dementieva sent a lob out of bounds gifting the U.S. triple break point.  The Americans converted when Kudryavtseva double faulted.  After Huber held for 5-1, with a forehand winner by Mattek-Sands, the U.S. broke the Russians for the fourth time to wrap up the victory.

Today, Mattek-Sands made U.S. Fed Cup history by joining Lindsay Davenport and U.S. captain Mary Joe Fernandez in the distinguished category of players who have won singles and doubles back to back to push the U.S. into the next round.

Defending champion Italy led by Flavia Pennetta and Francesca Schiavone thrashed the Czech Republic at home in their semis. Italy carried all five rubbers to reach their second straight final.  As a result, this year’s final will be a rematch of the 2009 one.  This time however, the U.S. will have home field advantage. In November, the U.S. will attempt to halt a ten year drought, their last victory was in 2000.

Except for the 2003 final in which France prevailed, the U.S. have owned France in Federation Cup competition. Their twelfth meeting occurred in Lievin, France on clay. The Americans dominated in the first round by winning three successive rubbers to clinch a semifinal spot.

On Saturday, in the first rubber after Bethanie Mattek-Sands jumped to a 2-0 lead, France’s Alize Cornet rolled off five straight games to build a 5-2 edge.  After Mattek-Sands crawled out of a triple break point hole and got to 3-5, she altered her tactics by coming more to the net.  It paid off.   Mattek-Sands broke Cornet as she served for the set.  But, following Mattek-Sands breaking for 6-5, she surrendered the lead at love sending the set to a tiebreaker.  A seesaw tiebreaker was ultimately captured by Mattek-Sands.

In the second set, after Cornet broke in the first game, with a sleuth of errors, she allowed Mattek-Sands to level the set. Then, after neither woman relinquished serve, at 5-6, the errors got the better of Cornet. This resulted in Mattek-Sands carrying the initial rubber 7-6,7-5.  Cornet’s record now stands at 0-6 in Fed Cup play.

The second match featured Melanie Oudin against Pauline Parmentier.  Oudin drew first blood in taking a 3-2 lead.  Subsequent to Oudin easily consolidating, Parmentier had 0-30 on Oudin’s serve on various occasions, however, each time the American halted the Frenchwoman.  Oudin took the first set 6-4.

In the second set, Oudin finally capitalized on a couple break point opportunities and went ahead 2-1.  Yet, on double break point, Oudin double faulted squaring the set at 2 all. After netting a forehand, Oudin faced triple break point.  Still, the teenager delivered to arrive at 3 all.  Then, with Parmentier serving at 4 all and 40-0, Oudin applied pressure on the second serve and got to deuce.  Subsequently, with a forehand return winner, Oudin had a second break point.  Oudin converted when Parmentier misfired on a backhand crosscourt.  Afterwards, Oudin kept her composure despite a tough game and closed out the match 6-4,6-4.

Today with the U.S. in front 2-0, Oudin battled Julie Coin in the opening match.  With an aggressive crosscourt forehand return winner, Coin broke Oudin in the first game.  After Oudin let double break point get away, Coin had a 3-1 lead.  But, with a lax game by Coin which included a double fault, Oudin knotted the set at 4.  With Oudin unable to break after obtaining a set point with Coin serving at 4-5, the set went to a tiebreaker.  With a double fault, Coin obtained a mini-break for 3-2.  But, with a forehand error, Coin gave up the lead.  Next, with Coin dumping a forehand into the net and by producing a forehand winner, Oudin took control at 6-3.  Oudin closed out the set with a forehand up the line winner.

In the second set, after dodging a couple of break points, Oudin broke for a 3-2 edge.  After consolidating, at 4-3, Oudin blundered on a forehand down the line to give Coin break point.  Once again, Oudin came up with the shots to keep her nose in front 5-3.  Later, with three consecutive forehand winners, Oudin arrived at double match point.  When Coin shanked a forehand long, Oudin wrapped up the semifinal berth for the U.S. 6-4,6-4.

In the fourth rubber, captain Mary Joe Fernandez played teenager Christina McHale against Parmentier.  While McHale performed well, Parmentier prevailed 6-4,6-4.  In the last dead rubber which was the doubles, Liezel Huber and Mattek-Sands battled Stephanie Cohen-Aloro and Cornet.  The Americans carried the last match 6-2,6-3.

The U.S will clash with Russia in the semifinals.  Russia collided with Serbia on the latter’s home turf.  On Saturday, Ana Ivanovic was blown off the court by Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-1, 6-4 in the initial rubber.  However, teammate Jelena Jankovic gave Serbia new life.  Jankovic overcame a 4-6,1-4 and 15-40 deficit to steal the second match from Alisa Kleybanova.  Today, after Jankovic defeated Kuznetsova 6-3,4-6,6-3 to put Serbia ahead 2-1.  Ivanovic failed to seal the deal.  Kleybanova beat her 6-2,6-3.  Thus, the tie was severed by the doubles match.  Kleybanova and Kuznetsova secured Russia’s participation in the next round by shutting down Jankovic and Ivanovic 6-1,6-4.

After reigning champion Italy dropped its first match against Ukraine yesterday, Flavia Pennetta won in straight sets to equalize the tournament.  Today, in the opening rubber, Pennetta stopped Alona Bondarenko 7-5,7-6 to place Italy ahead.  Then, after dropping the opening set to Kateryna Bondarenko, Francesca Schiavone rebounded 2-6,6-1,6-1 to place Italy in the semifinals.

After Saturday’s matches, the Czech Republic was in a dead heat with Germany. Today, Lucie Hradecka defeated Andrea Petkovic 6-1,7-6 in the first match giving the Czechs a 2-1 lead.  Still, Anna-Lena Groenefeld kept Germany alive with a 4-6, 6-3,6-2 triumph over Petra Kvitova.  Therefore, a live doubles rubber was played. The Czech Republic advanced by Kveta Peschke and Hradecka besting Tatjana Malek and Groenefeld 6-1,6-3. The Czechs will take on the Italians in the semifinals.

As a clamorous crowd cheered on, Oudin won Sunday’s second rubber to push the event into a fifth match. As it came down to the wire, Liezel Huber, doubles world number one and recently naturalized citizen, and Julie Ditty pulled off a 6-2, 6-3 victory for the U.S. to move on to the semifinals.

In the first match on Saturday, Craybas defeated her 20-year-old Betina Jozami 6-2, 6-1 to give the Americans a leg up. After starting out poorly, Craybas quickly recovered. Craybas’ years of accumulated knowledge was the difference, as she won her first Fed Cup match on home soil. Similarly, in the second rubber, Gisela Dulko at 24, a tour veteran, utilized her experience to beat Oudin in straight sets 6-2, 7-5. After being blown away in the first set, Oudin saved match point and broke in the second to tie it at 5 all. But, the next game, Oudin lost her serve. Dulko shut out the set with a love game. So, the first day, the teams split the two rubbers.

In Sunday’s first rubber, on paper, it was an excellent match-up for the Americans because of Craybas’ great record against Dulko. Yet, in the first set, Craybas, bitten by the unforced error bug, let Dulko cruise through. Then, in the second set, Craybas went down an early break at 1-4 and never caught up. With a well-angled backhand volley winner, Dulko extended her lead to 5-2 and closed out the match with a crosscourt forehand pass. With a 6-1, 6-3 victory, Dulko gave Argentina a 2-1 lead.

Now, the team’s survival rested squarely on the shoulders of teenager Oudin. Moreover, in all their years of Federation Cup competition, the Americans have never overcome a two to one deficit to proceed to the next round. Oudin demonstrated that she was the right person for the task. Facing Jozami, after being broken at love in the first game, Oudin surrendered her serve a second time and eventually lost the set. However, with the encouragement of the fans and her captain, Oudin worked her way back into the match. After holding serve, Oudin, aided by a double fault and poor shot selection by Jozami, broke for 2-0. Then, by putting away a short ball for a forehand winner, Oudin secured a double break lead for 4-0. Perhaps, because of a brief rain interlude, Oudin lost her concentration and her serve. But, with her opponent’s donation of another double fault, Oudin got the break back and with a down the line backhand winner, she closed out the second set. In the third, Oudin double faulted to give Argentina a 2-0 advantage. Nonetheless, the American forced four backhand errors from the Argentine to level the set. After saving double break point, Oudin converted a break point with a backhand winner for 3-2. As Jozami’s game crumbled, Oudin obtained an insurance break and won the match 2-6, 6-1, 6-2.

In the last rubber, Huber and Ditty faced Dulko and Jozami. After four consecutive breaks of serve, the Americans held at love to get ahead 3-2. With great net play from Huber, the U.S. captured the break for 4-2. Then by putting away an overhead, the U.S. claimed a second break and the first set. In a tight second set, the Argentines swatted away four break points in a seven deuce game to make it 2 all. But, in the eight game, team U.S.A. produced a forehand volley winner for the break and a 5-3 lead. With a forehand up the line winner, Huber arrived at match point. Then, with a volley winner, Ditty sealed the deal.

The U.S. will take on the Czech Republic in the semifinals. The Czech squad destroyed Spain, last year’s finalist, by a score of 4-1. Italy abused France, winning all five rubbers to advance. In the first rubber, Amelie Mauresmo buckled after being up a set and a break against Flavia Pennetta. Italy will face Russia, the defending champion. The Russians squashed their Chinese counterparts, impressively defeating them 5-0. With their wealth of talent, the Russians are in a prime position to repeat as champions.

One of the world’s most celebrated juniors tournaments, the 62nd annual Orange Bowl, took place at the Crandon Park Tennis Center in Key Biscayne from December 7 thru 14.  For most players, it is a stepping-stone to greatness. Some of the past winners include Roger Federer, Jim Courier, Bjorn Borg, Mary Joe Fernandez, and Chris Evert. Therefore, MiamiTennisBlog.com was on the scene scouting out the game’s future champions.

In the finals of the girls’ 18 category, wildcard entrant Julia Boserup from Boca Raton defeated another wildcard participant Christina McHale from New Jersey 6-4, 2-6, 6-3.  These two competitors are pupils at the USTA Player Development Facility in Boca Raton.  Other names deserving of a few lines include junior Wimbledon Champion and second seed, Laura Robson of Great Britain who retired in the quarterfinals and Nevada resident Asia Muhammad, Andre Agassi’s protégé, a gifted player who reached the third round in singles.  Muhammad did pick up the doubles trophy along with Lauren Embree from Marco Island.

Indian Yuki Bhambri, the second seed, stopped Georgia denizen Jamere Jenkins, ranked 78th, from winning the boys’ 18 title, beating him in two sets 6-1, 6-3.  Jenkins partnered with Devin Britton from Mississippi and exacted a bit of revenge by prevailing in the doubles final over Bhambri and Chase Buchanan from Ohio.  An unseeded player ousted top seed and junior French Open champion, Tsung-Hua Yang of Taiwan, in the third round.