italy beat Spain to reach first Fed Cup final

ZARAGOZA, Spain, July 16 (Reuters) - Italy reached their first Fed Cup final today when Flavia Pennetta overcame Spain's Lourdes Dominguez-Lino 6-2 6-4 to give her team an unassailable 3-1 lead in their semi-final.

Italy will play the winner of the tie between Belgium and the United States in the final in September.

Spain, trailing 2-0 after yesterday's opening singles rubbers, pulled a point back in today's first match when Anabel Medina Garrigues powered to a 6-2 6-2 victory over Italy's number one Francesca Schiavone.

But Pennetta, who crushed Medina Garrigues 6-3 6-0 in the opening match yesterday, produced a gritty display to see off Dominguez-Lino in the searing heat on the clay surface in Zaragoza.

REUTERS DH VC1825