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Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia - Source: Reuters
Svetlana Kuznetsova swatted aside struggling Serb Ana Ivanovic 6-1 6-4 to give Russia a 1-0 lead in their Fed Cup World Group first round tie on Sunday.
The United States are even closer to April's semi-finals after racing to a 2-0 advantage over hosts France while defending champions Italy were level at 1-1 with World Group debutants Ukraine in their best of five encounter.
Czech Republic and Germany had also won one match each in their last eight tie.
Former world number one Ivanovic, who lost in the second round at last month's Australian Open, has tumbled down to 23 in the rankings and was never in the match against Kuznetsova.
Despite the support of the Belgrade crowd, Ivanovic produced 21 unforced errors in the first set alone before world number four Kuznetsova comfortably closed out the second set.
Jelena Jankovic was playing Alisa Kleybanova in the second rubber to try to salvage the tie for Serbia ahead of Monday's reverse singles and doubles.
Italy started badly with Alona Bondarenko crushing Francesca Schiavone 6-1 6-4 in exactly an hour and a half.
The Ukrainian world number 26 cruised through the first set on the hardcourt in Kharkiv before 18th-ranked Schiavone fought back to go 3-1 up in the second.
Powerful Bondarenko then increased the tempo and retook the initiative with a series of booming shots, sealing victory when the Italian went wide with a forehand.
Sister Kateryna Bondarenko fared less well against world number 12 Flavia Pennetta in the second match, losing 7-5 6-3.
Pennetta, who struggled with the partisan crowd, often struck the net in an unconvincing victory.
Germany's Anna-Lena Groenefeld confidently beat Czech 23-year-old Lucie Safarova 6-2 6-2 in Brno but the home team levelled the tie at 1-1 thanks to Petra Kvitova's battling 6-4 6-4 win over Andrea Petkovic.
Bethanie Mattek-Sands gave last year's runners-up the United States the lead against France when she edged out Alize Cornet 7-6(7) 7-5.
The U.S., again without the Williams sisters, powered further ahead with Melanie Oudin's 6-4 6-4 victory over Pauline Parmentier.
