MOSCOW -- The United States lost the Fed Cup finals 4-1 Sunday, beaten convincingly by a French team that got a clinching victory from Amelie Mauresmo to win the title a second time.

Mauresmo routed Meghann Shaughnessy 6-2, 6-1 to put France ahead 3-0 in the best-of-five series.

"I really wanted to bring that third point to the team, and that's what I did," Mauresmo said.

France's Emilie Loit then downed Alexandra Stevenson 6-4, 6-2 in a match between substitutes. The U.S. team, captained by Billie Jean King, salvaged a victory in doubles to avoid a sweep.

Martina Navratilova, 47, extended her Fed Cup Cup record to 39-0, teaming with Lisa Raymond to beat Loit and Stephanie Cohen-Aloro 6-4, 6-0.

Mauresmo, undefeated in Fed Cup play this season, ended American hopes for an 18th title in the event.

"We obviously would have loved to win, so we're all really disappointed about that," Shaughnessy said.

The U.S. team made it to this year's finals without its top players. The Williams sisters were sidelined by injuries and Lindsay Davenport was recovering from surgery.

France, which won its only other Fed Cup in 1997, went into the final day at Olympic Stadium ahead 2-0. On Saturday, Mauresmo defeated Raymond 6-4, 6-3, and Mary Pierce struggled past Shaughnessy 6-3, 3-6, 8-6.

"This year, everything was perfect," Mauresmo said.

France had lost to the United States in their 10 previous encounters in the Fed Cup, the women's version of the Davis Cup. The United States has won 17 Fed Cup titles in 26 appearances.

No team has come back from a 2-0 deficit in the final. But the United States had hoped to win both singles Sunday, leaving the title up to Raymond and Navratilova.

This marked the first time a team featuring Navratilova has lost a Fed Cup series. Navratilova has not lost in the Fed Cup since she first played in the event for her native Czechoslovakia in 1975.