PRAGUE — The Czech Republic defended their Fed Cup title on Sunday with a thrilling 3-2 victory over Russia as Karolina Pliskova won her singles match and then returned to the court to help secure victory in the deciding doubles.
The Czechs, who claimed their fourth Fed Cup triumph in five years, fell behind 2-1 after Russia's Maria Sharapova defeated two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova 3-6, 6-4, 6-2 in the opening match of the day.
Pliskova then tied the final after cruising to a 6-3, 6-4 victory over Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova as the Czech's service game and punishing forehand were too much for the Russian to handle.