PRAGUE, Czech Republic – Maria Sharapova won a blockbuster against Petra Kvitova to give the Russians a 2-1 lead in the final, but the Czechs fought back to take home yet another Fed Cup title.
The marquee match of the day was the first match of the day as Sharapova and Kvitova squared off in the first reverse singles match. For a while it looked like Kvitova was going to come good – just like she had at the WTA Finals a few weeks ago – as she was five points from victory up 6-3, 4-4, 40-15.
But back-to-back double faults let Sharapova back into that game and the Russian broke, held to clinch the second set and then rolled through the third set to get the better of the Czech, 3-6, 6-4, 6-2.
But with the best-of-five format of a Fed Cup tie it’s never over until someone gets to three wins, and WTA Rising Star Karolina Pliskova kept Czech hopes alive with a 6-3, 6-4 victory over Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in the second reverse singles match, taking it down to the wire – the doubles match.
And the Czechs came good there too – Pliskova and Barbora Strycova were down a set but mustered up all of their fight to make it past Pavlyuchenkova and Elena Vesnina in three sets, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2.
Pese a Maria Sharapova que volvio a ganar a Petra Kvitova para poner a Rusia al frente 2-1, La Republica Checa logro el punto clave en dobles para retener en casa el titulo de la Fed Cup…
El partido clave del dia fue el juego en el que Sharapova se impuso 3-6, 6-4 y 6-2…
Pero en el formato de los mejores en 5 partido, la Fed Cup no se decide hasta el ultimo encuentro y Carolina Pliskova matuvo vivo a la Republica Checa con un 6-3 y 6-4 sobre Anastasia Pavkyuchenkova en el segundo partido de secillos….confirmado despues por el trounfo en dobles entre Pliskova-y Strycova sobre Pavlyuchenkova y Vesania 4-6, 6-3 y 6-2.
Las Checas mantienen total dominio con 5 titulos de este torneo de paises por quinta ocasion consecutiva