Czechs oust Canada in Fed Cup

Quebec City, QC (SportsNetwork.com) – The defending Fed Cup champion Czech
Republic advanced in the event with an easy quarterfinal victory over Canada.

Karolina Pliskova and Tereza Smitkova both won their singles matches on
Saturday, and Pliskova downed Gabriela Dabrowski 6-4, 6-2 in the first match
Sunday to close out the best-of-five tie.

The Czechs are 3-0 all-time versus Canada and 6-0 if you include their results
as the former Czechoslovakia.

They will meet France in April’s semifinals. France advanced through Italy in
their quarterfinal meeting.

The Czechs were playing without world No. 4 Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova,
while Canada was without seventh-ranked Wimbledon runner-up Genie Bouchard.

The three-time champion Czech Republic beat Germany in last year’s final.