OSTRAVA, Czech Republic, April 22 (UPI) -- Reigning Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova downed Francesca Schiavone Sunday, handing the Czech Republic a Fed Cup semifinal win over Italy.
Kvitova's 6-4, 7-6 (7-1) victory over the 2010 French Open winner sent the Czech Republic into the Fed Cup finals for the second time in two years.
Her victory gave the Czechs an insurmountable 3-0 lead in the best-of-five tie following singles victories Saturday by Kvitova over Sara Errani and Lucie Safarova over Schiavone.
The Czech Republic will face Serbia in the November championships -- the Serbs advanced Sunday with a semifinal win over Russia.
Following Kvitova's decisive victory, Errani bested Andrea Hlavackova 2-6, 6-2, 6-2 in the second reverse singles match and the Czech doubles team of Hlavackova and Lucie Hradecka gained a triumph when the Italian duo of Errani and Flavia Pennetta retired in the first set.
