Fed Cup: Czech Republic reaches ten semi-finals in a row

Petra Kvitova has taken the Czech Fed Cup team to its tenth semi-final in a row. The 27-year-old defeated Belinda Bencic 6-2,6-4 on Sunday and scored a decisive 3-0 win against Switzerland in a cross-country comparison.

In front of 12,000 spectators Kvitova and Bencic made a quick trial and won in one hour and 21 minutes. On Saturday, Kvitova had already won her first singles match against Viktorija Golubic in just three sets before Barbora Strycova beat Bencic 2-0.

The Czech Republic is now the opponent of the German team in the semi-final, which beat Belarus sensationally 3:2 in Minsk.

In Mouilleron le Captif there was a duel between two associations, who were only confronted last November in the Davis Cup final. France received Belgium, and this match was to become a neck-and-neck race, similar to the match between the Germans.

Elise Mertens and Kristina Mladenovic won their singles against Pauline Parmentier and Kirsten Flipkens on Saturday, with a 1:1 lead into Sunday.

There Mladenovic beat Mertens in two sets before Parmentier also lost her second singles match against Alison van Uytvanck. In doubles, however, the home pairing Mladenovic/Amandine Hesse won against Flipkens/Mertens.

In the semi-finals, the French will face the winner of the USA versus Netherlands duel. After the first day the hosts lead with 2:0.