Fed Cup win puts Italians in spotlight

When Italy won the Fed Cup final last weekend, the screaming crowds and the buzzing media covering the event showed just how much tennis has moved up on the public radar in the soccer-mad nation.

Fans of all ages filled out a nearly 5,000-strong stadium during the two-day final in Reggio Calabria, on the toe of Italy, and newspapers praised the 4-0 victory over the United States on their front pages.

The team was then hailed when they appeared on one of Italy's most popular late night television chat shows.

It was the second time Italy had won the title - after beating Belgium in 2006 - and media were ready to boast about becoming the top-ranked Fed Cup nation for the first time.

"We have made a massive step forward, I can see it today with all of you here," Italy's World No 12 Flavia Pennetta said.

"A few years ago, our press coverage used to be tiny. Now it is a little more consistent. This means that there is more attention towards us and let's hope that it stays like that."

Italian Francesco Ricci Bitti, president of the International Tennis Federation, told reporters the media coverage of the final had "exceeded expectations".

Italy, helped by Serena and Venus Williams again opting not to compete for the US, cruised to the title with Pennetta setting up the victory when she beat Melanie Oudin in the third singles rubber.

Italy, who overcame defending champions Russia in this year's semi-finals, had never beaten the Americans in nine previous Fed Cup ties. Captain Corrado Barazzutti said the team had "re-written the history of Italian tennis".

"This victory is something very big for Italian tennis. We hope that it can help create enthusiasm and bring in new tennis players," Barazzutti told reporters.

"It could also be stimulating for men's tennis. I am sure this group will do a lot of good for Italian tennis."

Italy has a long sporting tradition and in almost all sports - individual and team - is well represented. But tennis only comes well into pages 20-something in the sports papers.

While tennis courts abound across the country, Italy's grand slam victories are few and far between.

The last singles winner was Adriano Panatta who won the French Open men's final in 1976.

Italian male players continue to flounder in the Davis Cup. Italy won the cup in 1976 but now compete in the Europe/Africa Zone Group I, having last been in the World Group in 2000.

In the Fed Cup, Italy entered its first tournament in 1963 and is one of four nations to have competed in every edition.

"Three finals in four years represent an exploit that in our country few sports can boast," Angelo Binaghi, president of the Italian Tennis Federation, said in a statement.

"The Italian team has always contributed to spreading this sport, setting a good example to all the young players."

Just as in their national team efforts, Italian women outshine the men on an individual basis. Italy's best tennis players are women, with 27-year-old Pennetta leading the pack.

In August, the Brindisi-born player became the first Italian woman to make the top 10 rankings.

Fed Cup team-mate Francesca Schiavone, World No 17, took her second career crown in Moscow's Kremlin Cup last month.

"It's important to talk about tennis," Schiavone told reporters. "The relationship between player and media is important to bring in new fans to our sport, even if the work, both yours and ours, still has a long way to go."

The US team admired the Italian teamwork which they thought helped their rivals' victory.

"The Italians have great chemistry on the team. Flavia and Francesca are reaching their peak only now," US captain Mary Joe Fernandez told a news conference.

"They have a lot of depth and are consistent, and guess what, they play every time. There's so much pride."

While Italian women's tennis is flourishing, problems abound in other countries.

With the Williams sisters preferring not to compete in the Fed Cup final, the US team were forced to turn to World No 49 Oudin, 18, and Alexa Glatch, 20.

"The girls are growing regardless of whether the Williams sisters are here. Our main goal is the new generation. There are many other young players coming through," Fernandez said.

"Serena and Venus are a different story. They are the best in the world and best in the country. If they are willing and able to compete they can help the team."

Britain has struggled for years to make an impact in the women's game while France and Australia are no longer the forces they once were.

"Tennis is cyclical. Switzerland dominated in the 1990s... now Spain dominates men's (tennis) with Argentina and when it comes to women's, Russia is phenomenal," Ricci Bitti said. "You can't always have big stars but I think the US has a good base."