Fed Cup Finals Preview: Czech Republic Seeks Title Defense

November 13, 2015 | By Brian Coleman
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Photo credit: Calvin Rhoden

 

The Czech Republic will look to defend its Fed Cup championship this weekend when it takes on Russia. The two nations have met five times in Fed Cup history, with three of those encounters coming when the countries were Czechoslovakia and the USSR. The Czechs lead the head-to-head series 3-2.

The Czech Republic team is led by Petra Kvitova, and while Maria Sharapova is the top-ranked Russian, team captain Anastasia Myskina tabbed Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova to play the first singles match against Kvitova.

Sharapova will take on Karolina Pliskova in the second singles match, and then the two matches will reverse for the third and fourth singles contests.

Below is all five of the matchups that will happen this weekend, as the Czech Republic will look to defend its title and win its ninth overall Fed Cup championship.

Round 1
Petra Kvitova (CZE) vs. Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS): Kvitova leads the all-time head to head 6-3. Kvitova won the most recent matchup 6-3, 6-2 at this year’s Madrid Open.

Round 2
Karolina Pliskova (CZE) vs. Maria Sharapova (RUS): The first head-to-head meeting between the two.

Round 3
Petra Kvitova (CZE) vs. Maria Sharapova (RUS): Sharapova leads the all-time head-to-head 6-4, but Kvitova has won the last two meetings. In the most recent meeting, Kvitova won 6-3, 7-6(4) in the semifinals of last month’s WTA Finals.

Round 4
Karolina Pliskova (CZE) vs. Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS): Pliskova has won the only previous matchup between the two, a 6-2, 6-4 triumph at this year’s Dubai Duty Free Championships.

Round 5
►Lucie Safarova & Barbora Strycova (CZE) vs. Ekaterina Makarova & Elena Vesnina (RUS)


Brian Coleman

 Brian Coleman is the Senior Editor for New York Tennis Magazine. He may be reached at brianc@usptennis.com

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