Russia beat US 3-2 to reach Fed Cup final

Russia's Nadia Petrova and Elena Vesnina beat Venus Williams and Lisa Raymond in doubles to give Russia a 3-2 win over the United States in their Fed Cup semi-final on Sunday in Stowe, Vermont.

Petrova, returning to the court after saving Russia from elimination in Sunday's second singles, and Vesnina registered a 7-5 7-6 victory, claiming the second-set tiebreaker 7-1, to lift Russia into the Fed Cup final against Italy.

Italy also needed a victory in the doubles on Sunday to defeat visiting France in their semi-final.

Earlier, Williams had given the U.S. team a 2-1 lead in the best-of-five competition by defeating Anna Chakvetadze 6-1 6-4 in the day's opening singles match for her second win of the tie.

U.S. Captain Zina Garrison decided to call on Williams to join top-ranked doubles players Raymond for the doubles after Petrova routed 41st-ranked Meilen Tu 6-1 6-2 in the second singles to knot the tie at 2-2.

Williams, who last week won her fourth Wimbledon singles crown, replaced Vania King in the doubles.

Tu, a late addition to the squad in place of injured Serena Williams, made her Fed Cup debut when she replaced King in Sunday's second singles.

King had been beaten on Saturday by Chakvetadze in the opening singles match of the tie.