United States was the only team to take a lead after Saturday's Fed Cup World Group first round ties where Serbia's Ana Ivanovic continued her woeful form. The Americans are a win away from April's semifinals after racing to a 2-0 advantage over nervous host France while defending champion Italy was level at 1-1 with World Group debutant Ukraine in their best of five encounter. American Bethanie Mattek-Sands gave last year's runner-up the lead when she edged out an anxious Alize Cornet 7-6(7) 7-5. The US went further ahead with Melanie Oudin's 6-4, 6-4 win over Pauline Parmentier. Russia's Svetlana Kuznetsova swatted aside Ivanovic 6-1, 6-4, but Serbia drew level thanks to Jelena Jankovic, who leveled matters with a 4-6, 6-4, 6-0 win over Alisa Kleybanova. The Czech Republic and Germany had also won one match each in their tie ahead of Sunday's reverse singles and doubles. Italy started badly with Alona Bondarenko crushing Francesca Schiavone 6-1, 6-4 in exactly an hour and a half. Sister Kateryna Bondarenko fared less well against world No. 12 Flavia Pennetta in the second match, losing 7-5, 6-3. Germany's Anna-Lena Groenefeld beat Czech 23-year-old Lucie Safarova 6-2, 6-2 in Brno but the home team leveled the tie at 1-1 thanks to Petra Kvitova's battling 6-4, 6-4 win over Andrea Petkovic.
