Czechs, Slovaks in Fed Cup battle

BRATISLAVA, Slovakia, Feb. 4 (UPI) -- The Czech Republic and Slovakia, once part of the same country, will meet in the quarterfinals of the Fed Cup this weekend.

It will be the fourth time the Czechs have played the Slovaks in Fed Cup action since Czechoslovakia split. The Czechs have won all three of the previous meetings.

As a united country, Czechoslovakia, led by Martina Navratilova, won the Fed Cup five times.

The homestanding Slovaks designated Daniela Hantuchova as their lead-off player. She'll play Lucie Safarova in Saturday's first singles match. The Czech Republic's Petra Kvitova was given the second match against Dominika Cibulkova.

The best-of-five series, set for an indoor hard court in Bratislava, switches to reverse singles Sunday with Hantuchova facing Kvitova and Cibulkova playing Safarova.

The fifth match of the series doubles with Czechs Kveta Peschke and Barbora Zahlavova Strycova paired against Hantuchova and Magdalena Rybarikova.