hina edged France 3-2 despite losing both reverse singles matches to reach the World Group semifinals for the first time, and Spain took an insurmountable 3-1 lead over Italy.
China went into Sunday's three matches in Beijing with a 2-0 lead over France, but Virginie Razzano beat Li Na 4-6, 6-2, 6-4 and Nathalie Dechy defeated Yan Zi 6-3, 6-2 to even the score.
Yan and Zheng Jie then teamed to beat Dechy and Razzano 7-5, 7-6 (5) to put the Chinese into the semifinals.
``Our level is improving all the time,'' China captain Jiang Hong-Wei. ``We have more experience and more fight. The girls try very hard for the team. I hope we will be the strongest team.''
Later Sunday the United States was to finish its series against Germany. The teams were even at 1-1 after Saturday's singles.
Maria Sharapova won her second straight Fed Cup match Sunday to help defending champion Russia reach the semifinals of the competition along with China and Spain.
Sharapova, who was making her Fed Cup debut this weekend, easily beat Shahar Peer 6-1, 6-1 to give the Russians a 2-1 lead over host Israel. Anna Chakvetadze then defeated Tzipi Obziler 6-4, 6-2 and the Russian doubles team won the final point to make it 4-1.
``It's a great win, although again it is strange to win a match without actually feeling like you won,'' said Sharapova, who was still trying to get used to the best-of-five format.
Sharapova, who won the Australian Open last week for her third Grand Slam title, won nine games in a row from 1-1 in the first set. The Russian then won on her fifth match point.
``I realized I was one point from winning the match and I definitely had a few nerves towards the end but I am glad I won,'' Sharapova said.
Sharapova was named to Russia's squad for last year's Fed Cup final against Italy in Moscow, but was injured and didn't play in the 4-0 victory. The current team does not include No. 3 Svetlana Kuznetsova.
Elena Vesnina and Dinara Safina completed the day for Russia by beating Peer and Obziler 6-0, 1-6, 6-4.
Anabel Medina Garrigues delivered the winning point for Spain by beating Francesca Schiavone 6-4, 6-1 in the first reverse singles match.
Medina Garrigues won six straight games to close out the second set after losing the first game.
Italy got a point back in the second reverse singles match with Sara Errani beating Lourdes Dominguez-Lino 5-7, 6-4, 6-0.
Italy, which won its only Fed Cup title in 2006, reached the final last year but lost to Russia.
In World Group II, Japan beat Croatia 4-1. Also, it was Ukraine 2, Belgium 2; Czech Republic 2; Slovakia 2; and Argentina 2, Austria 1.
Sun February 3, 2008 12:14 EST
CHRIS LEHOURITES
AP Sports Writer
LONDON
China's Zheng Jie, left, and Yan Zi won the doubles rubber against beat Nathalie Dechy and Virginie Razzano 7-5, 7-6 (5) to advance to the Fed Cup semifinals for the first time ever. Zheng and Yan won the match 6-4, 7-6.
(AP Photo/Rob Griffith)
hina edged France 3-2 despite losing both reverse singles matches to reach the World Group semifinals for the first time, and Spain took an insurmountable 3-1 lead over Italy.
