Czech Republic – the defending champion took a commanding 2-0 lead over France in the Fed Cup World Group semifinals after Lucie Safarova and Petra Kvitova won the opening singles matches on Saturday.
Safarova managed to save 5 match points before beating Caroline Garcia 4-6, 7-6 (1), 6-1 and Kvitova returned from almost a 2-month break to defeat Kristina Mladenovic 6-3, 6-4.
The hosts are only 1 win away from the final against Germany or Russia in November to have a chance of winning their 4th title in 5 years. France is playing in its 1st semis since 2007.
The reverse singles and doubles are scheduled for Sunday.
4th-ranked Czech Petra Kvitova, who last played on Feb. 26 in Doha, Qatar before taking a rest, broke Mladenovic to go 5-4 up in the 2 set before serving out the match on the 2nd match point after Mladenovic’s return sailed long.
”I didn’t know what to expect from myself,” Kvitova said. ”I’m glad we lead 2-0 and that’s what matters.”
Kvitova struggled with serve, her major weapon, but the 58th-ranked Mladenovic was not able to exploit that. The Czech put in only 52 % of her first serve and committed seven double faults.
Earlier, the 13th-ranked Safarova converted her first match point with the 29th-ranked Garcia unable to return her serve on a fast indoor hardcourt at CEZ Arena.
”A wild match, isn’t it?” Safarova said. ”I’m really happy I managed to come back.”
After winning the opening set, Garcia wasted 5 match points in the 10th game, allowing Safarova to stage a comeback after the Czech dominated the tiebreaker 7-1.
”Of course, I was nervous,” Safarova said about the match points. ”But I served well and got her under pressure. In tennis, you can always come back until the final point is over. I did all I could. My experience played a role.”
In the final set, Safarova, who was under pressure from big hitting Garcia in the first two sets, jumped to a decisive 5-0 lead with her first two breaks.
The 21-year-old Garcia hit 34 winners to Safarova’s 23 and broke the Czech in the 10th game with a forehand winner to take the 1st set.
”She played aggressively and served well,” Safarova said.
Fed Cup: Czech Republic leads France 2-0
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