CZECHS RETAIN FED CUP CROWN
THE Czech Republic claimed their fourth Fed Cup title in five years after Karolina Pliskova and Barbora Strycova secured a decisive doubles victory against the Russian pair of Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova and Elena Vesnina. The Czechs rallied to a 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 victory in Prague to retain their crown with a 3-2 triumph in the best-of-five series. Maria Sharapova had earlier came from a set down to beat Petra Kvitova 3-6, 6-4, 6-2 in the first reverse singles to give Russia a 2-1 lead. But Pliskova kept the Czechs in the final by defeating Pavlyuchenkova 6-3, 6-4 in the second reverse singles to level the match at 2-2.