Stowe, VT (AHN) - The semifinals of the Fed Cup opened on Saturday with Russia and the United States splitting their two singles matches along with the same results happening in the Italy-France matchup.

Since both series are tied at 1-1, Sunday will be the big day to determine who advances to the Fed Cup finals as two singles and one doubles match is scheduled for each semifinal competition.

In Saturday's singles matches, Russian, Anna Chakvetadze upended Vania King 6-1, 6-3 to give her country a temporary advantage. Recent Wimbledon winner, Venus Williams, however, tied the proceeding with a 7-6, 0-6, 6-4 win over Nadia Petrova.

Sunday's singles matchup will be reversed with Williams playing Chakvetadze and King playing Petrova.

The doubles game will have King and Lisa Raymond competing against Petrova and Elena Vesnina.

In the other semifinals grouping which took place in Italy, France took an early advantage when Tatiana Golovin defeated Tathiana Garbin 6-3, 2-6, 6-2.

Italian, Francesca Schiavone upset Amelie Mauresmo 7-5, 6-3 to even the match.

The final day matchups will see Garbin playing Mauresmo and Schiavone competing against Golovin.

The doubles game will feature the Italian team of Mara Santangelo and Roberta Vinci playing France's squad of Severine Bremond and Nathalie Dechy.

The Fed Cup lost some of its luster recently when American, Serena Williams and Russian, Maria Sharapova withdrew from the competition because of injuries.