Kvitova to lead Czechs in Fed Cup final

Defending champions up against Russia in Prague

PRAGUE: World number five Petra Kvitova will spearhead defending champions Czech Republic in the Fed Cup final against Russia in Prague on November 14-15, said the Czech team on Thursday.

On the hardcourt of Prague’s O2 Arena, the Czechs will also rely on ninth-ranked Lucie Safarova, Karolina Pliskova (15) and Barbora Strycova (42).

Kvitova and Safarova have led the Czech Republic to three trophies from the last four Fed Cup editions.

Sharapova withdraws from Rogers Cup

Russia have called up world number three Maria Sharapova, 24th-ranked Ekaterina Makarova, Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (31) and Elena Vesnina (111).

The two nations have met five times in the Fed Cup before but three of those meetings were between Czechoslovakia and the Soviet Union.

The Czech team lead their head-to-head record with Russia 3-2, including a victory in the most recent encounter in the 2011 final in Moscow.

The Czechs have won the trophy eight times, including five victories as Czechoslovakia.

Four-time champions Russia, who are trying to bounce back from a disappointing 2014 season, will be playing in their 11th Fed Cup final overall. 

Published in The Express Tribune, October 23^rd, 2015.

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