CASTELLANETA MARINA, Italy — Francesca Schiavone beat Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 7-6 (6), 4-6, 6-2 Sunday to carry Italy into its third Fed Cup final in four years and knock out defending champion Russia.

Italy will play the United States in November's final.

Italy, the 2006 champion, clinched the victory by going up 3-1 on the clay courts at Nova Yardinia tennis club. Earlier, Svetlana Kuznetsova had beaten Flavia Pennetta 6-0, 6-3 to keep Russia alive.

It is the Italians' first win over the Russians after losing to them in the 2007 final.