Czech Republic reach Fed Cup semis & dedicate win to injured Kvitova
Defending Fed Cup champions the Czech Republic beat Spain 3-2 to reach the semi-finals for the ninth successive year and dedicated the win to the absent Petra Kvitova.
They will play the USA, who beat Germany 3-0, while Belarus will face Switzerland in the other semi-final.
Two-time Wimbledon champion Kvitova is recovering from hand surgery following a knife attack in her home in December.
“Of course this was for her,” said Czech world number 17 Barbora Strycova.
“We hope she comes back and we will welcome her with open arms. We are thinking about her every day and we were talking to her.”
The tie was level at 1-1 after the opening day in Ostrava.
The Czech Republic lost Sunday’s doubles rubber but world number three Karolina Pliskova beat French Open champion Garbine Muguruza 6-2 6-2 before Strycova beat Lara Arruabarrena 6-4 6-4 to seal their semi-final place.
Coco Vandeweghe beat Andrea Petkovic 3-6 6-4 6-0 as the USA whitewashed Germany in Hawaii to reach their first semi-final since 2010.
Belarus, who were without two-time Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka as she gave birth in December, beat the Netherlands 4-1, while Switzerland beat France 3-1.
The semi-finals will be played on 22-23 April.
Great Britain will find out who they will play from Chinese Taipei, Romania, Italy or Australia when the draw for April’s World Cup II play-offs is made on Tuesday.