Fed Cup Tennis: France Takes a 2-0 Lead Over Italy

In the quarterfinals of the Fed Cup tennis competition, the French team took a 2-0 lead against Italy on Saturday in Rimini, Italy, in the women's section of the tournament. Emilie Loit, the French tennis player, easily defeated Silvia Farina of the host country with a score of 6-2, 6-1, and Mary Pierce from France contributed to her country's victory by winning against her Italian opponent, Francesca Schiavone, with a score of 6-3, 6-4. Meanwhile, in Buenos Aires, Argentina's capital, Gisela Dulko of the host country overcame Svetlana Kuznetsova from Russia, with the match result being 4-6, 6-3, 4-6. Anastasia Myskina from Russia, the French Open champion, introduced Argentina's Natalia Gusoni to defeat with scores of 6-3, 6-0. In Innsbruck, Austria, Chanda Rubin from the U.S. tennis team defeated Barbara Schwartz from Austria in three sets with scores of 1-6, 7-5, 4-6, but Lisa Raymond from the U.S. lost to Barbara Schett from Austria with scores of 2-6, 4-6. In another Fed Cup match, Belgium leads Spain 1-0, as Kirsten Flipkens from Belgium defeated Anabel Medina Garrigues from Spain in three sets with scores of 6-7, 6-1, 2-6. The international team competitions of the Fed Cup were established in 1963.