Italy's Two F-Bombs

The Fed Cup kind of slipped through the cracks in everyone’s post-Wimbledon decompression period; it’s a pity that, with Roland Garros and Wimbledon being played so close together, tennis is yoked to a feast or famine scenario when it comes to news – big news that people really care about. And it seems like we’re already building up toward the U.S. Open – which I guess is the point of the U.S. Open Series.

Still, I’m working on getting the inside details on the latest Belgian Fed Cup bombshell (Justine Henin-Hardenne’s decision to skip the World Group final vs. Italy in September); the soap opera aspects of this saga have proven boundless – whoever thought playing for your country could be so darned complicated? But that’s what happens when egos go bump in the daylight.

To put it in perspective, ponder this: what if, a few years back, Kim Clijsters and Henin-Hardenne could have simply brought themselves to say, Screw it. Tiny Belgium, my home nation, has never known - and may never again know - an opportunity to stand this tall on the stage of international sports. So the one thing I am going to do, come hell, high water, rumor-mongering Leo Clijsters or backhand smackdowns from my demonic, French-speaking tormentress, is play for Belgium. No matter what.

If the women had taken that pledge, Belgium could have built a Fed Cup record to rival that of the U.S. dynasty of yore. In some ways, it’s a real pity. Forget all this internationalist garbage about the evils of nationalism and patriotism (and remember that those most incensed by, say, American - Whoops, sorry! Gringo! - chauvinism tend to be the most rabid supporters of their own countrymen and women). Representing your nation on the playing field is a high honor, a chance to display your courage and nerve in a way that transcends diseased individualism, a part of a great, continuing tradition, and – last but not least – a feat of historic importance.

But that’s okay, Justine, Kimmy. . . do your thing. Do what you need to do for Justine and Kimmy!

Meanwhile, the big developing story, for reasons related to what I just wrote, is China’s breakthrough into the World Group for next year. Granted, the German squad they crushed was one of journeywomen (there’s another budding tennis empire that has come crashing down to earth!), but neither Na Li nor Jie Zheng lost a set in posting three singles wins faster than you can say Tian Tian Sun.

I’m predicting that the Chinese will win the Fed Cup within the next five years for a few reasons, including the talent of their top player, Li, as well as the emphasis Li, along with her fellow players and the Chinese athletic and political establishment, put on doing well in international, nation-based competition.

There is, to be sure, a dark side – a very dark side – to reading anything deeper into Olympic or Fed Cup-style competition that the score lines; at the end of the day, international events are just pageants and sporting festivals, and we're all into celebrating diversity, right? But the prestige-hungry Chinese will pour like Soviet Union athletes once did into the vacuum left by the blasé, patriaphobic (not to mention selfish) athletes from smug western nations.

Surely, there’s got to be a middle ground between players who care too much about their personal status and those who care too much about their nation’s status? This isn’t just a sporting issue, either. Remember that line in Thomas Pynchon’s novel, Gravity’s Rainbow, in which a character says that every time he hears a Ludwig von Beethoven symphony, he wants to go out and conquer Poland?

Right now, that sweet middle ground may be occupied by Italy, my pick to win the competition. I like the way Italy dismissed France in the quarterfinals and now Spain. In the upset of France, Francesca Schiavone was the heroine, with her gutsy 6-4 in-the-third, tiebreaking win over Amelie “Pez” Mauersmo. Last weekend, it was Flavia Penetta doing the heavy lifting. She personally demolished Spain’s hopes (Flavia lost a grand total of nine games in her two singles matches).

I guess I’m a sucker for teams with a lot of spirit, and the Italians seem to have it. They’re bubbly as Pellegrino, the two F-bombs, Flavia and Francesca, seem to get on as well as prosciutto and melon, and they appear to revel in the team spirit. And I don’t think Italy will decide it simply must go out and conquer Croatia if Italy prevails.

The Italians aren’t the most talented team that started out on the path to glory, but then neither was the Italian national soccer team that ended up champion of the soccer World Cup. And unlike the soccer team, the Italian chicas have never won the Fed Cup.

I think it may be their time, even if Champagne Kimmy decides to head-butt Penetta in the third rubber.