A livid French team was preparing to launch an official protest after Italy grabbed a 2-0 lead on the opening day of their Fed Cup first round tie on Saturday. A chilly Moscow proved an inhospitable place for China as it went 2-0 down to champion Russia. In Orleans, France, a hot-headed Flavia Pennetta survived a moment of madness and a match point before downing Amelie Mauresmo 2-6, 7-6, 6-4 and Francesca Schiavone made it 2-0 to Italy after running down Alize Cornet 6-1, 2-6, 8-6. France captain Nicolas Escude said the hosts would object to Pennetta's win since the Italian made an obscene gesture toward the umpire when Mauresmo earned a match point at 7-6 in the second set tiebreak thanks to an overrule. Mauresmo appeared to be heading for a straightforward victory when Pennetta hit out at the umpire. She reacted angrily after the official overruled a backhand passing shot by the Italian that had initially been called in. Mauresmo squandered the match point with a double fault and allowed the Italian to capitalize on her slip-up. The Frenchwoman slammed the umpire for handing Pennetta only a verbal warning for the incident. “She should have been kicked out of the court,” Mauresmo said. “When (Zinedine) Zidane headbutts (Marco) Materazzi (in the 2006 World Cup soccer final) he's kicked out. It's crystal clear. To me (this decision) is unacceptable.” The winner of the tie will face Russia or China in the semifinals. Russia, targetting a fifth title in six years, proved too strong for an understrength Chinese team who were missing injured number one Zheng Jie. Svetlana Kuznetsova overcame a scrappy performance in the second set to beat Yan Zi 6-2, 6-4 before Elena Dementieva thumped Zhang Shuai 6-3, 6-0. In other contest Spain was level at 1-1 with the Czech Republic. Petra Kvitova handed the Czechs an unexpected 1-0 lead with a 6-4, 6-4 win over in-form Carla Suarez Navarro but Nuria Llagostera Vives kept the Spaniards in the hunt when she produced a stirring fightback to beat Iveta Benesova 1-6, 6-1, 6-4. Australia beats New Zealand Jelena Dokic and Samantha Stosur helped Australia advance to the Fed Cup World Group II playoffs with comfortable singles victories in the Asia-Oceania playoff final against New Zealand in Perth on Saturday. Dokic put Australia ahead when she beat Diane Hollands 6-4, 6-4, while the team's number one Stosur eased past world number 57 Marina Erakovic 6-1, 6-4 to give the host an unassailable 2-0 lead before the doubles match. Casey Dellacqua and Rennae Stubbs then teamed up to complete a 3-0 sweep with a 6-2, 6-2 victory over Kairangi Vano and Shona Lee. Tsonga to meet Chardy Top seeded Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga beat Portugal's Frederico Gil 6-3, 6-4 to set up a final showdown with his hitting partner Jeremy Chardy at the South African Open on Saturday. Chardy survived a string of match points to squeeze past second seed David Ferrer 1-6, 7-6, 7-6 in a 2-1/2 hour thriller, making the final an all-French affair on Sunday. “Jo is a very good player who could get to number three or four in the world if he plays the whole season,” Chardy told a news conference.
