Czech Republic wins 2011 Fed Cup

MOSCOW, Nov. 7 (UPI) -- Petra Kvitova posted two singles victories and the Czech Republic won the clinching doubles match in topping Russia for the 2011 Fed Cup title in Moscow.

After a split of Saturday's two singles matches, Kvitova defeated Svetlana Kuznetsova 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 to open Sunday's play. But Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova came back with a 6-2, 6-4 win over Lucie Safarova leaving the Fed Cup title to be determined in doubles for the first time in five years.

Czechs Lucie Hradecka and Kveta Peschke responded with a 6-2, 6-4 decision over Russians Maria Kirilenko and Elena Vesnina in the final match of the best-of-five series.

It was the first Fed Cup title for Czech players since 1988 when they competed for Czechoslovakia. That year they beat the Russia-led Soviet Union.

Russia was looking for its fifth title since 2004 but was without its two highest-ranked players -- No. 4 Maria Sharapova and seventh-ranked Vera Zvonareva, both out with injuries.

Kvitova, who finished 2011 with the world No. 2 ranking, was 6-0 in Fed Cup matches this year. She lost only one set -- the first Sunday versus Kuznetsova -- in that span.

The Czech Republic will open defense of the Fed Cup title Feb. 4-5, 2012, against Germany in Stuttgart, Germany. The other World Group quarterfinals have Spain traveling to Russia, Belgium playing host to Serbia and Ukraine in Italy.