Ostrava, Czech Republic (SportsNetwork.com) – Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova
will lead the reigning Fed Cup champion and host Czech Republic in this
weekend’s semifinal against Germany in Ostrava.
The best-of-five tie will get underway Saturday with opening singles rubbers,
as 13th-ranked Czech Lucie Safarova will take on No. 29 rising Frenchwoman
Caroline Garcia and the world No. 4 Kvitova will encounter 58th-ranked
Kristina Mladenovic on an indoor hardcourt at Cez Arena.
Sunday’s reverse singles will pit Kvitova against Garcia and Safarova versus
Mladenovic, while a doubles rubber tentatively has a Czech tandem of Karolina
Pliskova and Barbora Strycova taking on a French duo of Alize Cornet and
Pauline Parmentier.
The two-time Wimbledon titlist Kvitova is 23-6 in her career Fed Cup singles
matches.
The Czechs, captained by Petr Pala, are trying to reach their fourth Fed Cup
final in five years.
Two-time champion France, skipped by former world No. 1 Amelie Mauresmo, is
3-2 all-time against the Czech Republic, with all three wins coming in their
last three meetings.
The winner in Ostrava will face the Germany-Russia victor in the World Group
final in November.
The high-flying Czechs topped the Germans in last year’s final in Prague to
capture a third championship in four years.
