Tennis

Italy shorthanded for Fed Cup semi

Published Apr. 6, 2011 1:00 a.m. ET

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Two-time defending champion Italy will be without regulars Francesca Schiavone and Flavia Pennetta for its Fed Cup semifinal in Russia next week.

The fourth-ranked Schiavone announced last week she will skip the tie to prepare for the clay-court season and the defense of her French Open title.

The 20th-ranked Pennetta pulled out with a shoulder problem.

Captain Corrado Barazzutti instead called up No. 37 Roberta Vinci, No. 43 Sara Errani, No. 95 Alberta Brianti and No. 123 Maria Elena Camerin.

It's the first callup for Brianti, and the first in six years for Camerin.

Vera Zvonareva, Svetlana Kuznetsova, Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova and Ekaterina Makarova are on Russia's team for the April 16-17 semifinal in Moscow.

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