Czech Republic eye record third successive Fed Cup

Omnisports

February 5, 2016 4:06 AM

The Czech Republic can become the fourth nation to win three successive Fed Cup titles with success in 2016.

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Defending champions the Czech Republic begin their quest to become the fourth nation to lift the Fed Cup three years in a row this weekend when they visit Romania.

After sealing a fourth title in five years in November, the Czechs have another opportunity to join United States, Czechoslovakia and Spain by winning three successive titles - the latter the last to achieve the feat in 1995.

Once again they will be led by Petra Kvitova against Romania as the visitors bid to extend an unbeaten record spanning back to 2013 – when they lost to Italy in the semi-finals.

However, their opening World Group match in Cluj-Napoca will not be that easy given Romania have also not lost in two years, having earned a spot in the World Group by beating Canada on home court in April 2015.

World number three Simona Halep will head their attempts to dethrone the champions, the 24-year-old delaying nose surgery to lead their first top-level match since 1995.

She begins the tie against Karolina Pliskova, who she has never dropped a set against.

Beaten 2015 finalists Russia will look to erase the memory of their defeat to thr Czechs as they kick off their campaign at home against Netherlands, but Maria Sharapova will only play in the doubles.

Sharapova has been nursing an injured forearm following the Australian Open, but has been told she must play if she wants to be part of Russia's Olympic Games squad.

Ekaterina Makarova will be first out of the blocks for Russia against Kiki Bertens, with the hosts eyeing a semi-final against either France or Italy.

Those two met at the first stage last year and Italy looked on course for progression as they raced into a 2-0 lead, but France came surging back on day two to win 3-2.

Kristina Mladenovic and Caroline Garcia won all three of those points and they will be present again, while Italy will be without US Open champion Roberta Vinci following her retirement – Martina Caregaro taking her place.

"We're really proud of where we are right now," said Mladenovic. "We definitely started to believe in our chances. We're trying to stay humble, but we also have high expectations and goals for this year."

The final tie of the first round sees Angelique Kerber return to action for the first time since lifting the Australian Open crown, the 28-year-old leading Germany against Switzerland in Leipzig.

First up for Kerber is Timea Bacsinszky, but she will first watch Andrea Petkovic take on Belinda Bencic at the start of what promises to be a close tie.

"This is obviously very big for us," said Switzerland's Bencic. "For sure we want to do big things now in Fed Cup and I think we can, so I'm really looking forward to it."

Omnisports

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