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REGGIO CALABRIA, Italy - World number 11 Flavia Pennetta cruised to a 6-3, 6-1 victory against American Alexa Glatch to give hosts Italy a 1-0 lead in the Fed Cup final on red clay here on Saturday.
Glatch may have won the pair's only previous meeting but here the gulf in class between the two, who are separated by 121 places in the world rankings, was obvious.
The 20-year-old American simply made too many mistakes to even give herself a half-chance at victory and the result never looked in doubt.
Pennetta admitted the emotion of the occasion had got to her.
"When I came on court I felt like crying due to the emotion of the event and hearing the anthem," she said.
"But I managed to get a grip on myself, I didn't play a spectacular match but I played calmly. I think I was solid.
"I felt more pressure in the last few days before the event with the whole build up and expectation."
Pennetta set up a break point in the third game with a delicate drop-shot to move 40-15 ahead before closing it out.
Glatch then played a loose game at 3-5, culminating in a wayward forehand error to hand Pennetta a second break and the set.
She came out determinedly in the second set and after a marathon game she broke the Italian at the fifth attempt.
But that proved a false dawn as it was the last game she won. Pennetta broke back with a cross-court passing shot following a winner down the line to set up the break point.
A Glatch error handed her another break and a winner down the line gave her a 5-1 lead.
Pennetta then held serve to love, securing the win with a service winner as she avenged her embarrassing 6-1, 6-1 defeat in the first round at Roland Garros earlier this year.
Glatch said Pennetta was a transformed player since then.
"I think today she definitely played better than last time at the French Open," said the six-footer.
"The conditions were also different. It was much quicker and hot that day and very dry, and I served extremely well, I remember.
"I was more aggressive in that match, and I probably should have tried to be in this match. I just wasn't able to do so. She definitely played better than she did last time."
The second singles on Sunday will see world number 16 Francesca Schiavone of Italy take on 18-year-old American Melanie Oudin.
- AFP /ls
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