Three-time winners Italy edged a weakened United States 3-2 this morning to reach the Fed Cup tennis semi-finals and an April date with double defending champions, the Czech Republic.
Italy, the champions in 2006 2009 and 2010, needed top-ranked world doubles pair Roberta Vinci and Sara Errani to see them through on the clay courts of Rimini, winning 6-2 6-2 against Liezel Huber and Varvara Lepchenko.
Earlier, Lepchenko, the world number 21 and making her Fed Cup debut in the absence of Serena Williams and Sloane Stephens, stunned Errani, the world number seven, 7-5 6-2 to give the US a surprise 2-1 lead.
But Vinci then levelled the World Group first round tie with a 6-2 4-6 6-1 triumph over Jamie Hampton.
Vinci also improved her perfect record in Fed Cup doubles to 18-0, the best doubles record in the history of the tournament.
Italy will host the semi-final against the Czechs on April 20-21, while Russia will welcome Slovakia.
