Czechs defeat Slovaks in Fed Cup quarters

BRATISLAVA, Slovakia, Feb. 6 (UPI) -- Petra Kvitova's reverse singles win Sunday handed the Czech Republic a victory over Slovakia in the Fed Cup quarterfinals.

Kvitova dispatched Daniela Hantuchova 6-4, 6-2 in just over an hour, handing the Czechs an insurmountable 3-0 lead and allowing them to advance to the Fed Cup semifinals for the third straight year.

There they will face Belgium, which defeated the United States Sunday.

The Czechs recorded their fourth win in four Fed Cup meetings with Slovakia since the former Czechoslovakia split. Neither the Czech Republic nor Slovakia has won the championship since becoming separate nations.