Italy claim 3-2 win after Henin-Hardenne withdraws

Italy won the 2006 Fed Cup with a 3-2 win over Belgium in the final last night after world number two Justine Henin-Hardenne was forced to retire through injury during the deciding doubles match.

After the two teams finished level at 1-1 on Saturday, victories for Henin-Hardenne and Mara Santangelo yesterday sent the tie to the wire.

French Open champion Henin-Hardenne beat Francesca Schiavone 6-4 7-5 while Santangelo beat Kirsten Flipkens 6-7 6-3 6-0.

Schiavone and Roberta Vinci were just ahead 3-6 6-2 2-0 in the decisive doubles when Henin-Hardenne, who was partnering Flipkens, retired.

It was Italy's first Fed Cup title.

Italy captain, Corrado Barazzutti had earlier gambled by giving Santangelo her first Fed Cup singles start in place of Flavia Pennetta, who had only just returned to action after missing the US Open with a wrist injury.

The gamble on the 33rd-ranked player nearly backfired as the 98th-ranked Flipkens got off to the perfect start by taking the first set.

The 20 year-old's game fell apart in the second set and Santangelo pounced on her every mistake.

Flipkens had to serve to stay in the first set after her opponent broke serve in the ninth game. She held her nerve before breaking back and eventually winning the ensuing tiebreak.

The Belgian had her serve broken twice in the second set before putting up some resistance but Santangelo held out to take the set. Flipkens never recovered and was whitewashed in the third set.

"It was very difficult for me," said Santangelo. "I didn't play my best tennis, especially in the first set but then I began to push harder and get closer to the net."

French Open champion Henin-Hardenne, buoyed up by the home crowd which included an injured Kim Clijsters, had earlier squeezed past Schiavone in a match littered with double faults and unforced errors.

The Belgian revealed afterwards that she was suffering from a knee injury. "I pulled up after the second point, my knee was in a lot of trouble," she said. "I moved to the net a little more in the second set as I knew I couldn't go to a third set."