Ostrava, Czech Republic - Lucie Safarova and Petra Kvitova gave holders the Czech Republic a 2-0 lead over France in the Fed Cup semi-finals after the opening rubbers on Saturday.
On the hardcourt of the CEZ Arena in the eastern Czech city of Ostrava, world number 13 and Czech number two Safarova took an hour and 58 minutes to beat 29th-ranked Caroline Garcia 4-6, 7-6 (7/1), 6-1.
World number four Kvitova then saw off 58th-ranked Kristina Mladenovic 6-3, 6-4 in an hour and 21 minutes to take the Czechs within a point of the finals.
The two lefties already led the Czechs to Fed Cup titles in 2011, 2012 and 2014 while France are playing their first semi-finals since 2007 after winning their last Fed Cup trophy in 2003.
Safarova and Garcia held serve until the tenth game of the first set when an aggressive, well-serving Garcia broke her rival and closed out the set 6-4.
The second set went exactly the same way but the 21-year-old Garcia squandered five match points against Safarova's serve and the game changed dramatically.
The 28-year-old Safarova took the set in a tie-break after sweeping Garcia 7/1 and never looked back, breezing past the French youngster 6-1 in the third set.
AFP
