Italy’s Schiavone confident heading into final

Francesca Schiavone says it will be difficult for the Americans to match the energy and confidence of defending champions Italy who face the US in the Fed Cup final for a second straight year.

“It’s one more year and we have more experience,” reigning French Open champion Schiavone said.

“Our team is always complete with energy and confidence. That is our key and so we keep working on this.”

The USA takes a commanding overall record into today’s opening day matches at the San Diego Sports Arena, but this will be a vastly different squad than the ones that captured seven consecutive Fed Cup titles between 1976 and 1983.

With the Williams sisters, Serena and Venus, skipping the 2010 event with injuries, the US is forced to send an inexperienced team to the World Group final which runs on the indoor hardcourts this weekend. The Williams sisters also missed last year’s event.

The Americans, who have won more Fed Cup titles than anyone else with 17, lead the series with Italy 9-1 overall but lost the last meeting in the 2009.

Italy won the title for the second time in four years in Reggio Calabria last year, white-washing the USA 5-0 in the final.

Italian captain Corrado Barazzutti has picked the same team as last year, with Schiavone joined by Flavia Pennetta and doubles pairing Roberta Vinci and Sara Errani.

USA captain Marie Joe Fernandez has selected Melanie Oudin, Bethanie Mattek-Sands, doubles specialist Liezel Huber and debutant Coco Vandeweghe.

The 19-year-old Vandeweghe is ranked 114 in the world, around 100 places lower than Schiavone and Pennetta, her two likely opponents in San Diego if she plays.

Both Schiavone and Pennetta each have more career singles wins (449 and 443) than Oudin, Huber and Vandeweghe combined. Oudin has won just 20 of 43 singles matches this season.

Pennetta said they won’t take the Americans lightly just because they have better world rankings. All four of the Italians are ranked higher than any of the US players.

One US player, Liezel Huber, has no singles ranking. Mattek-Sands is the highest ranked US player at no.60.

“In Fed Cup anything can happen,” said world no.23 Pennetta.

“We have the best ranking but I think there is not too much difference in the moment when you are on the court.”

US captain Fernandez said they know they are huge underdogs but are hoping to turn it around this year.

“You don’t just sign up and say they are ranked much higher so they are going to win,” Fernandez said.

“We have seen upsets in the past. They have experience and they are a fantastic team.

“If we can execute game plans and play well then all the matches are winnable.”