Kvitova defeats Bencic to lead Czechs to a tenth Fed Cup semi-final in a row
The Czech Republic advanced to the Fed Cup semi-finals after double Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova beat Switzerland’s Belinda Bencic 6-2, 6-4 yesterday.
Kvitova’s victory in the first reverse singles gave the Czechs an insurmountable 3-0 lead in the first-round match and secured a tenth straight appearance in the last four.
The second reverse singles was not played but Switzerland’s Timea Bacsinszky and Jil Teichmann defeated Lucie Safarova and Barbora Strycova 1-6, 6-4, 10-8 in the doubles to make the final score 3-1 to the Czechs.
Two-time championsfrance also reached the semifinals by beating Belgium 3-2, Amandine Hesse and
0 Venus Williams: Clincher. Kristina Mladenovic winning 6-4, 2-6, 6-2 against Elise Mertens and Kirsten Flipkens in the deciding doubles.
France will play the United States in the semis after Venus Williams defeated Richel Hogenkamp 7-5, 6-1 togivetheamericans adecisive 3-0 lead against the Netherlands.
Tatjana Maria won two points in her first Fed Cup tie in seven years and led Germany past 2017 finalists Belarus and into the semi-finals.
The Germans will host the Czech Republic in April.
Meanwhile, Bosnian qualifier Mirza Basic won the Sofia Open to claim his first tour title with a thrilling victory over Marius Copil.
Basic, who sensationally knocked out top seed Stan Wawrinka in the last four, overcame a determined Copli to win 7-6 (8/6), 6-7 (7/4), 6-4 in two hours and 21 minutes.
Basic, competing in his first final at this level, is only the second Bosnian to win an ATP title after Damir Dzumhur triumphed in St Petersburg last September.
The 26-year-old is projected to move more than 50 places from his current world ranking of 129 to 76 today.
Elsewhere, Lucas Pouille beat Richard Gasquet to win the Open Sud de France in Montpellier.
Pouille needed just 87 minutes to despatch Gasquet in the all-french encounter.
The 23-year-old sealed a commanding 7-6 (7/2), 6-4 victory to claim his fifth tour title.