ITF

20 ITFWORLD WINTER 2015 The eagerly-anticipated clash between Kvitova and Sharapova didn't disappoint on day two. Sharapova led the head-to- head 6-4 but the Czech had won their last two meetings. Sharapova started nervously but once she could rely on her blistering groundstrokes her fortune changed. In the third set, with the players locked at 2-2, Sharapova's firepower proved too much and she stunned Kvitova 36 64 62. "It's never over for me until I play the last point," said the world No. 4. "This is one of the few competitions where you're not just playing for yourself and I really felt like I would look over to them [the Russian team] and every time they were standing up. That's the meaning of this event." Defeat for Kvitova in Fed Cup by BNP Paribas is a rare occurrence and marked the first time she had been beaten at home in the team competition since the 2012 final when she lost to Serbia's Ana Ivanovic. Pressure was then heaped on to Pliskova's shoulders. She knew she had to defeat Pavlyuchenkova in order to keep the Czechs alive in the tie. The world No. 11 drew on the experience of her only previous Fed Cup encounter, which had come earlier in 2015 as she led the defending champions to Quebec City to face Canada in the 2015 first round. The Czechs returned home that weekend with a 4-0 victory — two points of which were earnt by Pliskova. The quartet which comprised Pliskova, Denisa Allertova, Lucie Hradecka and Tereza Smitkova didn't drop a set as they progressed to a seventh straight Fed Cup semifinal. Kvitova and Safarova returned for a home semifinal in Ostrava, and blew away France — who had reached the last four for the first time since 2007 — 3-1. Safarova's comeback victory against Caroline Garcia in the opening rubber of that tie was enough to see her receive the Fed Cup Heart Award, which she was presented with at the draw for the final, but it was to be the only point she would contribute to the Czech Fed Cup cause in 2015. The big server Pliskova was a more than acceptable substitute however and despatched of Pavlyuchenkova in clinical fashion 63 64 to force the doubles rubber. A short time later both players were back out on court contesting the doubles with Strycova and Vesnina respectively. The Russians were also missing their doubles specialist as Ekaterina Makarova was resigned to the bench with a leg injury. The Czechs had never played together before but boasted doubles prowess on the WTA Tour having won titles with different partners. The Russians had won both of their previous Fed Cup FED CUP BY BNP PARIBAS Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova had a disappointing tie Pliskova and Safarova meet the press The Russian team The Czechs with the trophy

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