The Italian team secured the Fed Cup title for the fourth time after sweeping past Russia 4-0 in the final. Team Italy has won the international team competition in 2006, 2009, 2010 and this year.
The win, which was Vinci’s 50th match win of the year, lasted a whopping three hours and 13 minutes.
“There were a lot of ups and downs but I tried to stay focused on every single point, and it was not easy but in the end the important thing was to win,” Italy’s Roberta Vinci said after outlasting Alexandra Panova 5-7, 7-5, 8-6 in the opening rubber that lasted more than three hours.
“This means a lot. I’ve had a great season, but this is a fantastic win for me. I love to play Fed Cup and this was a really important match. It’s just always an incredible feeling for me to play for Italy.”
“We’re all very happy,” Sara Errani said after defeating Alisa Kleybanova on Sunday. “I know Alisa, she’s a great player, so it wasn’t an easy match, but I’m really happy with the way I played and this is so exciting for us.
“This victory isn’t just for me, it’s for the whole team, and all of Italy!”
