Liezel Huber and Bethanie Mattek-Sands eased past Russian pair of Elena Dementieva and Alla Kudryavtseva

Fed Cup

Liezel Huber and Bethanie Mattek-Sands eased past Russian pair of Elena Dementieva and Alla Kudryavtseva in the decisive Fed Cup doubles on Sunday to seal America's place in the final against Italy.

Liezel Huber

Earlier in the day, Elena Demetieva battled past Melanie Oudin to put Russia 2-1 up in best of five matches tie.

“I think this match was most important to the semifinals,” said Dementieva“I think we both were feeling a lot of pressure.”

Bethanie Mattek-Sands

“I fought as hard as I could, I did the best I could,” Oudin said. “Unfortunately, it wasn’t good enough today. She stepped it up at the very end, and that’s why she’s No. 6 in the world. She’s 10 years older that me, and that experience definitely helped her at the end of the match.”

Elena Dementieva

In the second reverse singles Bethanie Mattek-Sands prevailed 6-4 2-6 6-3 to keep American hopes alive.

“You know what, it was a big adrenaline rush,” Mattek-Sands said. “At one point, I'm normally not really emotional on the court, but just playing in Fed Cup, different pressures.

Alla Kudryavtseva

A half-hour later Mattek Sands partnered with Liezel Huber for a 6-3 6-1 victory in the fifth-and-decisive rubber.

"I was really pumped, though. I always want to win whether I'm playing singles, doubles, charades, whatever. I think we're all pretty competitive. So I was ready to go. “

Mattek-Sands became the third American to win consecutive live matches to clinch victory. Current U.S. Fed Cup captain Mary Joe Fernandez performed the feat in the 1996 quarterfinal round against Austria, and Lindsay Davenport did it in the 1995 semifinals against France.

“It's an amazing effort,” said Mary Joe Fernandez, of Mattek-Sands’ two wins on Sunday. “It really is. It's always tough to have to play back to back Fed Cup, singles, doubles. The good news is that Bethanie is used to it. On a weekly basis, she played doubles and singles."