BUCHAREST, Romania — Karolina Pliskova ended a three-match losing streak against Simona Halep to give the Czech Republic a 1-0 lead on the opening day of its Fed Cup first-round tie against Romania on Saturday.
The 23-year-old Pliskova had never beaten Halep before her 6-7 (4), 6-4, 6-2 win in the Transylvanian city of Cluj. The match lasted more than 2 1 /2 hours.
Petra Kvitova aims to double the lead for the defending champions when she plays Monica Niculescu in Saturday's second singles rubber.
Ninth-ranked Kvitova has won 26 of her 33 Fed Cup singles matches, including seven of the last eight.