Kvitova to lead Czech to Fed Cup final

PRAGUE, Czech Republic, Oct. 24 (UPI) -- World No. 6 Petra Kvitova will lead the Czech Republic team as it tries to defend its Fed Cup championship next week against Serbia, it was announced Wednesday.

Kvitova withdrew from the WTA Championships in Turkey earlier Wednesday due to a viral illness but Czech team captain Petra Pala still turned to Kvitova for the Fed Cup competition.

The Serbian team, which will send out former No. 1-ranked Ana Ivanovic and Jelena Jankovic, travels to Prague for the best-of-five series Nov. 3-4. The matches are to be played on an indoor hard court.

Kvitova was 4-0 in the Czech Republic's two Fed Cup series this year, helping the Czechs beat Germany and Italy, both by 4-1 scores, and return to the championship series for the second consecutive year.

The Czech Republic will also have 17th-ranked Lucie Safarova for singles while Andrea Hlavackova and Lucie Hradecka were selected for the doubles match.

Serbia, in its first Fed Cup final, will field the doubles team of Bojana Jovanovski and Aleksandra Krunic in addition to Ivanovic and Jankovic playing singles. Jankovic is 3-0 in her Fed Cup matches this year.

Serbia defeated Belgium and Russia in its earlier Fed Cup rounds. Both series were 3-2.