Anabel Medina Garrigues defeated Francesca Schiavone 6-4, 6-1 Sunday to help Spain to a 3-2 victory over Italy and a spot in the Fed Cup semifinals.
Schiavone never put Medina Garrigues in difficulty and the Spaniard only trailed once. Schiavone took the first game of the second set before Medina Garrigues came back with six straight wins.
With Medina Garrigues' victory, Spain jumped to an insurmountable 3-0 lead. Italy won Sunday's second singles match and the doubles.
"We're surprised to have defeated Italy 3-0. It's a victory we didn't hope for," Medina Garrigues said. "Today Francesca was nervous while I was very calm. Above all I played the important points well."
In the second reverse singles match, Sara Errani defeated Lourdes Dominguez-Lino 5-7, 6-4, 6-0. Errani and Tathiana Garbin then beat Nuria Llagostera Vives and Carla Suarez-Navarro 6-4, 6-3 in doubles.
Italy, which won its only Fed Cup title in 2006, reached the final last year.
"This defeat doesn't cancel all that we've accomplished up to this point," Schiavone said. "This is certainly not the end of a cycle. I accept my responsibility because a player with my ranking has to win even when they play poorly."
While Spain advances to the next round, Italy will play in April to determine if it will remain in World Group I.
Spain's win evens the overall series between the two teams at 3-3.
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