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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Monday, February 8, 2010

U.S. reaches Fed Cup semis


Associated Press

LIEVIN, France — Teenager Melanie Oudin won her two singles matches to lead the United States to a 4-1 victory over France and secure a spot in the Fed Cup semifinals.

Oudin beat Julie Coin, 7-6 (3), 6-4, in just over two hours yesterday to give the Americans an insurmountable 3-0 lead.

The United States will next face Russia on April 24-25.

"I was a little nervous in the beginning," Oudin said. "She definitely stepped up her game when she came out on court and served some really great service games. There wasn't much I could do in the beginning, besides staying in there with her."

Pauline Parmentier then beat Christina McHale of the United States, 6-4, 6-4, before Liezel Huber and Bethanie Mattek-Sands defeated Stephanie Cohen-Aloro and Alize Cornet, 6-2, 6-3, in the doubles.

Oudin, 18, also beat Parmentier, 6-4, 6-4, on Saturday.

Both teams were missing their best players. Serena and Venus Williams skipped the event, while France played without Marion Bartoli, Aravane Rezai and Virginie Razzano.

Four-time champion Russia won the decisive doubles match to edge Serbia, 3-2.

The Czech Republic and Italy will meet in the other semifinal.

ELSEWHERE

Zagreb Indoors: Top-seeded Marin Cilic of Croatia retained his Zagreb Indoors (Croatia) title by beating Michael Berrer of Germany, 6-4, 6-7 (5), 6-4, yesterday. Cilic won in 2 hours, 38 minutes to claim his second title of the year and the fifth of his career.

SA Open: Third-seeded Feliciano Lopez of Spain won his second career ATP Tour title yesterday by beating Stephane Robert of France, 7-5, 6-1, in the SA Open final at Johannesburg. Lopez broke in the last game of the first set and then cruised in the second to earn his first title since 2004.