Teenager Melanie Oudin aimed a broadside at the absent Williams sisters after Italy thrashed the United States in the final of the Fed Cup on Sunday.

World number 11 Flavia Pennetta eased to a 7-5, 6-2 defeat of 18-year-old Oudin to put the hosts into an unassailable 3-0 lead in the tie.

All three matches finished in straight sets with Italians Pennetta and Francesca Schiavone dropping a meagre total of five games in their second sets.

World number one Serena Williams pulled out of the final while her sixth-ranked sister Venus wasn't selected despite playing each other in the season-ending Tour Championships in Doha last weekend.

Serena then went to London to promote a book while her compatriots were forced to tackle the Italians with players ranked 49 and 132 in the world.

"For me, this is what I wanted. I wanted to come here. I wanted to play for my country," said Oudin.

"I don't know, other people choose different things. Some people, I guess, didn't want to play as badly as I did.

"But I think that the team that we had here really wanted to be here. I think that was what should have happened.

"I mean, you don't want people here that don't want to be here.

"Next year we're going to have people that want to be here again. That's what you want. You don't want people that don't want to be here or play for their country."

Doubles specialist Liezel Huber was even more out-spoken when asked if it bothered her that the Williams sisters don't play for their country.

"What do you want us to say? We want to say yes (it bothers us) but we want them on the team, also. It bothers us, it does.

"And it's bothering us the more you ask us but we want them on the team."

New Generation

Team captain Mary Joe Fernandez said she was more interested in those who were there and do want to play for their country.

"These girls are growing regardless. The main goal is to build the new generation. You've seen the new generation this year," she said.

"Serena and Venus are just a different story. You know, they're the best in the world and the best in our country.

"If they are willing and able to participate, I think that's a great experience for everybody involved to learn from."

While the Americans' best two players, who have not played in the Fed Cup since 2007, were missing, it was clear how much winning meant to the Italians.

Pennetta described this victory as the "perfect end to a great season" in which she also became the first ever Italian woman to reach the top 10 in the world.

"For me it's very important to be champion of the world in tennis," she said.

"To represent your country is different. Usually you play for yourself and no-one cares but here it's totally different."

Fernandez said the desire to play for their country was the main difference between their team and the Italians.

"Guess what, they play every time. It means that much to them. I think Flavia and one of the other ones (Roberta Binci) qualified for (the Tournament of Champions) Bali and she had the opportunity to end the year in the top 10, and she chose to be here.

"That shows you how much pride and how much it means to them. So I love that, because that's what you want to see in the players."

Oudin was also impressed by just how patriotic the Italian players are.

"I knew this coming into this Fed Cup that they have a real team. Every single one of them has played Fed Cup before," she said.

"They all want to be here. I'm at tournaments and I always see them hanging out with each other and warming each other up and watching each other's matches and cheering for each other."

AFP

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