Petra Kvitova to lead Czechs Republic in Fed Cup defence

Prague: Petra Kvitova, who has withdrawn from the WTA championships in Istanbul because of a viral illness, will lead the Czech Republic in their Fed Cup title defence against Serbia next month in Prague.

The Czechs will seek to become the third consecutive nation to retain the title after Italy in 2009-10 and Russia in 2007-2008.

World number six Kvitova helped her country defeat Italy in the semi-finals.

Kvitova, who has withdrawn from the WTA championships in Istanbul because of a viral illness, will lead the Czech against Serbia next month.

"She is a top player and, regardless of the WTA championships, I'm convinced she is preparing well for the Fed Cup weekend," the news website idnes.cz quoted team manager Petr Pala as saying.

Lucie Safarova, Andrea Hlavackova and Lucie Hradecka will complete the team who face Serbia from November 3-4.

The Czech men's team will take on Spain from November 16-18 in the Davis Cup final.

A win by both Czech teams would mark the first time since 1990 that a nation has captured the men's and women's titles in the same year.

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