WASHINGTON (AP) – The way Chanda Rubin is playing, the United States might not need the Williams sisters to win the Fed Cup.

Rubin’s 5-7, 6-4, 6-0 victory over Francesca Schiavone on Sunday gave the Americans an insurmountable 3-0 lead over Italy in their best-of-five quarterfinal.

“I feel this was a really important weekend for me,” said the eighth-ranked Rubin, who overcame several injuries to return to the top 10 for the first time since 1996. “It was important for me to show other people and myself what I’m made of and what I’m capable of doing.”

In November, the U.S. team will play Belgium, which swept Slovakia 5-0. The United States is seeking its 18th Fed Cup title and first in three years.

The Belgians, though, feature two of the top three players in the WTA Tour rankings: French Open finalists Justine Henin-Hardenne and Kim Clijsters.

The venue will be determined by a bidding process, and Belgium would gain a huge advantage if it gets to host the match on clay.

“They’re very tough,” Rubin said. “They know how to play under pressure. They know how to win. Whoever plays for the U.S., we’re going to have a good team. We also have some of the best players in the world, and the best depth in the world.”

The United States, of course, boasts No. 1-ranked Serena Williams and her sister, No. 4 Venus. But neither was with the team for the quarterfinals, nor were Monica Seles, Lindsay Davenport or Jennifer Capriati. Those five players were missing for a variety of reasons, including injuries, prior commitments and disputes with captain Billie Jean King.

Instead, Rubin and No. 18 Meghann Shaughnessy led the United States against Italy, which was missing its top player: Silvia Farina Elia, who has a foot injury.

Later Sunday, Shaughnessy played Rita Grande in the final singles match, followed by doubles.

France will face Russia in the other semifinal. France eliminated host Spain 4-1 Sunday, while Russia won 5-0 at Slovenia.

The United States has never lost to Italy in Fed Cup play, winning all nine meetings since 1963.

Surgeries on both knees and a broken hand are among the injuries that sent Rubin reeling in the rankings over the last seven years. She’s returned to win four titles in the last 13 months, including back-to-back wins at the Wimbledon warmup at Eastbourne in England.

She hadn’t played Fed Cup since a match against Croatia in 1999, and she waited until the last possible moment to tell King that she would play against Italy.

“It’s just amazing … the difference in her maturity, and also mentally how much stronger she is,” King said.

Even so, Rubin said she didn’t want to commit to playing in the semifinals just yet.

“I’m still dealing with this match,” Rubin said, “so we’ll wait on the semifinals.”

The U.S. team hadn’t lost a set in the Fed Cup this year until Schiavone broke Rubin to take their first set Sunday. Rubin hit a routine forehand into the net on set point, a shot that dogged her all match until her opponent finally wilted in the third set.

Schiavone threatened in the first two sets with her powerful serve, which produced nine aces, but a double-fault gave Rubin the decisive break point in the ninth game of the second set. Rubin then served out the set.

Schiavone’s power was drained in the third set. Rubin broke the 32nd-ranked Italian in the first game, and later hit an ace on her first match point.

“In the third set, I was in a different sort of concentration,” Schiavone said. “And I need to improve that.”

On Saturday, Shaughnessy nearly blew a 5-1 second-set lead before holding off Schiavone 6-3, 6-4. Rubin followed with a 6-3, 6-3 victory over Grande to give the United States a 2-0 lead.

AP-ES-07-20-03 1948EDT