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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.

"I thought Petra played unbelievable in the first set," Sharapova said. "She was playing so aggressive and hitting really deep off both strokes. I just didn't have that momentum in the first set - but she gave me a little bit of a window for a few points and I took it, and I was able to take the second set."

"The end of the second set was a turning point when she broke me and held to win the set," Kvitova said. "In the third set she just came back and started hitting really hard, with better placement and fewer mistakes too - it was difficult for me to keep playing well and hitting deep like I was."

The will to win that has taken Sharapova to five Grand Slams and No.1 was definitely on display.

"It's never over for me until we play the last point - I don't care where I'm playing, or who I'm playing against," the Russian said. "As soon as I won that second set today, I got that energy back."

And there was even more fuel for her here. "This is one of the few competitions where you're not just playing for yourself - I would look over to my team and they were standing up every time. And that's the meaning of this event," she said. "There's no better feeling than being out on the court and having so many people from Russia fly out to support you, your teammates on the side cheering you on."

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.

The Czechs have now won the Fed Cup four of the last five years. It's their ninth title overall.

"We are feeling unbelievable. We can't describe it. I'm speechless," Strycova beamed afterwards.

"This atmosphere, playing here at home with such a crowd, it's just unbelievable."

"It's the first experience for me in a Fed Cup final, so I'm really happy how we made it," Pliskova said. "We both played really well in the last match and I'm so happy we have the trophy right now!

"It's definitely one of the biggest wins of my career. It's been an unbelievable week in Prague."

Sloane Stephens and Venus Williams gave the United States the perfect start to their Fed Cup by BNP Paribas World Group II showdown with Poland with a two wins that may have been claimed in straight sets, but were anything but straightforward.
US No. 1 Williams ensured Mary Joe Fernandez’s side head into Sunday’s reverse singles with a 2-0 lead after both she and Paula Kania struggled with tough conditions on serve – something Kania attributed to the Hawaiian sky being very bright – and almost too blue.
“The sky was so clear – it never actually happens, normally,” said Kania, who went down 75 62 to Williams, in her words a “legend” of the sport. “Big lesson for me for the next time.”
Despite problems with her ball toss from both ends and some heavy strapping to her left thigh, Williams weathered four breaks of serve in the opening set before establishing an early lead in the second set from which she never looked back.
While Kania did rally to briefly get back on serve at 3-2, setting up the break with a smart passing shot behind the advancing American. But Williams shook off the dip to motor her way to match point, and again demonstrated her level-headedness after the ball ricocheted off her racket and removed her visor on her first match point, firing a powerful return to secure victory in 72 minutes.
“The sun was a bit of a challenge, but as the match went on I was able to adjust to it a lot more,” said Williams, who found herself a game away from losing the first set at 4-5.
“She had some good shots, she played well, I had a few errors. At 5-4 I was actually very relaxed. I think her strength is playing from behind – when she was in front it wasn’t as comfortable for her. So that game I put some balls in, she missed a few, and at 5-5 I probably had more experience than her.”
Williams’ “even-keel” mentality would make her an ideal candidate to captain the US Fed Cup team in the future, believes Fernandez.
“I think she would make a phenomenal captain. She’s the best role model and leader. I think when you demand that respect and people look up to you it makes sense.”
Williams is four years older than Poland’s debut captain Klaudia Jans-Ignacik, who admitted it took a while to adjust to her new role.
“I know the girls mostly off-court – sitting on the bench is something different,” said Jans-Ignacik. “It’s teamwork. I was sitting on the bench feeling like I’m there on court with them, playing the forehands and backhands.”
In the day’s opening rubber, Stephens produced a resounding second-set recovery to see off a spirited fightback from Magda Linette for a 62 64 victory.
The world No. 25 won six games from 4-0 down in the second set of a match that always appeared to be on her racket, having stormed through the first set in 30 minutes, firing nine unanswered winners past Linette.
“I kind of just ran out of gas,” Stephens said of her mid-match dip in form. “Needed some sugar. I had some caffeine and a little taste of a bar and I felt better. You’ve got to keep fighting – you’ve got to get your opportunities one way or another.”
Linette, installed as the Polish No. 1 in the absence of Agnieszka Radwanska on her return to the Fed Cup team for the first time since 2012, couldn’t match Stephens’ firepower but after dropping the first set she cut out the errors and kept the American on the run with some sterling defensive play.
“Maybe she doesn’t look like it, but she’s a very tough player for the opponent because you have a feeling she can do basically everything and she’s everywhere,” said Linette, who rued missing out on the opportunity to take the match into a third set.
“I was definitely more aggressive,” she added. “I just regret I didn’t follow that up, you know. I had the chances. I didn’t use them. I should have some more guts and go for my shots and I didn’t.”
Linette’s confidence could be gauged by her first serve speed, which began regularly topping triple digits early in the second set. But when Stephens brought up break point while trailing 4-0 she faced a 69mph delivery and punished the ball accordingly, sparking a six-game run that sealed victory in front of a delighted sell-out crowd.
“All I can really take from that is that I tried my butt off and never gave up,” Stephens said.

Read more at http://www.fedcup.com/en/news/222688.as ... YesVgIu.99

Caroline Garcia fired 31 winners past Sara Errani to put France level with Italy at 1-1 in the Fed Cup by BNP Paribas World Group first round on Saturday.
The French crowd at the Palais des Sports sang the national anthem, supported by their own oompah band, as Garcia beat the former fifth-ranked Italian in an at-times stunning display of attacking tennis, 63 75.
“It’s always a great experience and a great feeling to play in front of your home crowd and to play for France,” Garcia said.
After Kristina Mladenovic had lost her opening match against Camila Giorgi, 16 64 61, the pressure was on for the 22-year-old Garcia and she didn’t crack.
Leading by a set and 3-2, Garcia dropped serve when she played a risky drop shot on break point. In the next game, Errani showed why only a year ago she was the top-ranked doubles player in the world as she saved a break point with a drop volley.
At 5-5, Garcia changed tactics as she rushed to the net to set up a break point. A blistering forehand return down the line handed her the break as she jumped for joy all the way back to her chair. Serving for the match at 6-5, Garcia set up two match points with a kick serve, and got France’s first point of the tie on an error.

It was an amazing feeling,” said Garcia. “I had some goose bumps at 6-5 when I was serving for the match. It’s why you are training this hard all year.”
“She found her pace out there, between being aggressive and being patient as Sara always makes you play the extra shot,” French Fed Cup captain Amelie Mauresmo said.
Earlier in the day, Mladenovic started well for France, serving out the first set with an ace as Giorgi struggled to keep the ball inside the lines. Trailing 4-2, Mladenovic fought back to 4-5 when a foot fault changed the match around.
“I fought really hard to break back and give myself a chance to come back to 5-5,” Mladenovic said. “And then came this call at 0-15, a foot fault. To be honest, it changed totally the momentum.”
After the first foot fault of her career, Mladenovic got broken and won only two more games. Her first-serve percentage dropped to 28 percent in the third set, from 42 percent in the opening set.

“It put me in trouble, because I started to think about it,” she said. “The big difference was my serve and the low percentage I had. And against Camila, who is such an aggressive player on the return, it was just not enough,” she added.
“We will talk about it tonight, I haven’t had the chance yet to talk with her but I will definitely get into this,” Mauresmo said. “She needs to take it out of her head and focus on tomorrow.”

Errani rued some missed opportunities to get back into the match against Garcia, whom she’d beaten at this stage last year.

“She played a good match, she served good,” former French Open finalist Errani said. “It was not easy for me. On the baseline, I didn’t move her too much, didn’t open too much the angles. That was the key for me. In the second set, I tried to be more aggressive. A few points changed the second set.”
A year ago, France were down 0-2 against Italy before Garcia and Mladenovic staged a stunning comeback as they won three points to put France in the semifinal. They eventually lost to the Czech Republic.
“I’ll sleep a bit better tonight,” Mauresmo said. “I strongly believe the girls will have good chances tomorrow,” she added. “But the Italians must feel the same way as well, given the kind of tennis they produced today. It’s a tough one, 50-50 is the call for tomorrow.”

Italian Fed Cup captain Corrado Barazzutti agreed.
“Two very balanced matches tomorrow,” he said, adding he’d been particularly impressed by Giorgi’s attitude on the court.
“Camila didn’t play too well at times, but she was very focused on the court, and she tried very hard,” he said. “Really confident in Camila, and I hope Sara will play better than today. If she plays the tennis that she knows, she can win.”

Would Group I

Czech Republic vs. Romania (1-1): Simona Halep had postponed nose surgery in the hopes of helping Romania win their first Fed Cup World Group tie since 1983, but those hopes were initially blunted when the World No.3 failed to convert on a one-set lead she held on Karolina Pliskova. Playing for defending champions Czech Republic, the World No.13 broke serve seven times to take the opening singles rubber, 6-7(4), 6-4, 6-2.

The home crowd in Cluj-Napoca received an unexpected lift in the second rubber, however, when Monica Niculescu upset two-time Wimbledon champion, Petra Kvitova, 6-3, 6-4 in just under two hours. The tie will conclude on Sunday with reverse singles as Halep takes on Kvitova followed by Niculescu playing Pliskova. A fifth doubles rubber is also scheduled to take place between Andreea Mitu and Raluca Olaru and Barbora Strycova and Denisa Allertova.

Germany vs. Switzerland (1-1): Angelique Kerber was given a hero's welcome as she took to Germany's first round Fed Cup tie against Switzerland; the reigning Australian Open champion showed no signs of rust in the second rubber against Timea Bacsinszky, winning 6-1, 6-3 in around 90 minutes.

Kerber's win leveled the tie as Swiss youngster Belinda Bencic had struck first in the opening rubber, ousting former French Open semifinalist Andrea Petkovic, 6-3, 6-4, in Leipzig. The reverse singles encounter between Bencic and Kerber may be one of the most anticipated match-ups of the weekend, while coach Barbara Rittner will have the option of subbing Petkovic out for Annika Beck, who just beat Bacsinszky in Melbourne en route to the fourth round two weeks ago.

France vs. Italy (1-1): The enigmatic Camila Giorgi showed her full array of highs and lows against Kristina Mladenovic, but the the Italian righted the ship in stunning fashion after dropping the opening set, dispatching the Frenchwoman, 1-6, 6-4, 6-1.

2012 French Open finalist Sara Errani had the chance to push the tie further in Italy's favor, but Caroline Garcia - Mladenovic's new doubles partner since the start of 2016 - was firm in keeping things even on Day 1, taking out the veteran, 6-3, 7-5. The Italians led France 2-0 on the first day of their last Fed Cup encounter in 2015, only for Mladenovic and Garcia to sweep the second day with three straight wins in singles and doubles.

Russia vs. Netherlands (0-2): In the most stunning twist of the day, last year's finalists Russia find themselves on the brink of elimination after losing both of their singles rubbers on Day 1. Ekaterina Makarova had looked in solid form Down Under before falling to Cinderella story Zhang Shuai, but could not keep her Melbourne momentum going against the powerful Kiki Bertens, falling, 6-3, 6-4.

Kuznetsova looked the clear favorite to tie things up against Richel Hogenkamp, who was playing her first-ever World Group I match in front of an away crowd in Moscow. But the Dutchwoman remained steadfast through the longest match in Fed Cup history at exactly four hours, saving a match point to win, 7-6(4), 5-7, 10-8. Maria Sharapova had originally opted out of singles play due to injury, but may yet step in to prevent the Russians from losing only their second World Group I first round in 10 years.

World Group II

Serbia vs. Spain (0-2): Spain's resident Top 10 players, Garbiñe Muguruza and Carla Suárez Navarro, each won their singles rubbers to take a commanding lead over Serbia in Kraljevo. Muguruza flew past 2014 Youth Olympic Gold medalist Ivana Jorovic, 6-3, 6-1, while Suárez Navarro faced few problems against former No.1 Jelena Jankovic, 6-4, 6-2.

USA vs. Poland (2-0): Venus Williams and Sloane Stephens are on course for the World Group I Play-offs with a pair of straight set wins over Paula Kania and Magda Linette, respectively. Stephens opened the day by beating Linette, 6-2, 6-4, while Williams improved her Fed Cup singles record to 18-2 with a 7-5, 6-2 victory over Kania.

Slovakia vs. Australia (1-1): Australia was very nearly up 2-0 against a Slovak team playing at home; Fed Cup debutante Arina Rodionova was a game from victory against Anna Karolina Schmiedlova, but cramps ultimately derailed her, 5-7, 7-5, 6-0. 2011 US Open champion Samantha Stosur stepped in for the second rubber, defeating Jana Cepelova, 6-3, 6-4.

Canada vs. Belarus (1-1): The Canadian and Belarusian teams are each missing their marquee names - Eugenie Bouchard and Victoria Azarenka - leaving the teams on even footing on Day 1. Aliaksandra Sasnovich reached the third round of the Australian Open and survived a spirit charge against Canadian youngster, Francoise Abanda, 6-4, 2-6, 6-3. Veteran Aleksandra Wozniak kept up the Canadian cause in the second rubber, dispatching Olga Govortsova, 6-2, 6-2.