SEVILLE, Spain — The Czech Republic reached the Fed Cup semifinals for a sixth straight year when it came from 2-1 down to beat host Spain 3-2 in their rain-affected tie on Monday.
The Czechs, champions in 2011 and 2012, will host Italy in April, when Australia will welcome Germany.
Spain led 1-0 coming into Monday, having won the opening singles on Saturday.
Klara Zakopalova, down a set when rain stopped her singles on Sunday, finished off Spain's Maria-Teresa Torro-Flor, 3-6, 6-2, 6-1, first up on Monday, but couldn't hold the momentum when she returned to the outdoor clay-court against Carla Suarez Navarro, who won her second singles, 1-6, 6-3, 6-3.
Lucie Safarova, who was too ill on Friday to be picked to play, benefited from the extra day as she beat Silvia Soler-Espinosa, 4-6, 6-1, 6-3, to even the tie and make the doubles the decider.
Barbora Zahlavova Strycova and Andrea Hlavackova, a first-time pair in the Fed Cup, clinched it for the Czechs when they won, 7-6 (7), 6-3, over another team on debut, Suarez Navarro, who hadn't played cup doubles in six years, and Soler-Espinosa, playing her first cup doubles.
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.
