Maria Sharapova beat Karolina Pliskova 6-3 6-4 in 89 minutes to level the Fed Cup tie at 1-1 after the first two matches at the O2 Arena in Prague.
Both players held serve in the first five games. At 3-2 Sharapova brought up a break point in the sixth game with a drop shot for 15-40. The Russian legend got the break to take a 4-2 lead after a double fault by Pliskova who won just 30 percent of her first serves. Pliskova broke straight back in the next game as Sharapova made three double faults.
Pliskova saved a break point with a forehand winner but Sharapova converted another break point to take a 5-3 lead. The Russian star closed out the first set 6-3 with a forehand winner.
Pliskova, who is playing her second Fed Cup tie and is making her first appearnce in this event on home soil, broke serve in the second game of the second set to take a 2-0 lead but Sharapova broke straight back before consolidating the break to draw level to 2-2.
Sharapova broke serve for the fourth time in the match in the fifth game to take a 3-2 lead. Sharapova fought back from 0-40 with a lob and a forehand winner to hold her serve. At 3-5 Pliskova served to stay in the match. The young Czech star went down 15-40 on her serve but saved two match points to hold her serve for 4-5. Sharapova served out for the match to take the second set after 1 hour and 29 minutes
Sharapova fired 28 winners to 25 unforced errors and won eight points at the net.
“It’s an incredible atmosphere. You see a lot more Czech flags than Russians but in my mind I see red, white and blue and I turn it in my mind as the Russian flags”, said Sharapova.
Sharapova will take on Petra Kvitova in the first reverse singles rubber on Sunday. In the second Sunday match Pliskova will face Anastasya Pavlyuchenkova.
“I think it is very open. It’s a completely even tie. The Number 1 players from each team are favourites so we will have to see how they handle it”, said Czech captain Petr Pala
Before the match Czech captain Petr Pala received the Fed Cup Award of Excellence from ITF President David Haggerty and Hall of Famer Jane Brown Grimes. The ITF and the International Tennis Hall of Fame present the Fed Cup Award of Excellence to an individual who represents the ideals and the spirit of the Fed Cup competition.
