Petra Kvitova and Karolina Pliskova scored two straight-set wins over Julia Goerges and Angelique Kerber to give Czech Republic a 2-0 lead over Germany in the first day of the Fed Cup semifinal at the Porsche Arena in Stuttgart.
Kvitova bounced back from 1-3 down by winning nine of the last eleven games to take a 6-3 6-2 win over Julia Goerges. Pliskova beat Kerber 7-5 6-3 earning her second career win over the 2016 Australian and US Open champion.
In the opening match Goerges broke Kvitova in her second service game of the match. Kvitova reeled off the final five games of the first set to win the first set. The double Wimbledon champion won 16 of the 18 points from 1-1 to race out to a 5-1 lead and served out the match at love after 63 minutes. Kvitova won 84 percent of her first serve points and lost just two points on her serve in the second set.
In the second match Pliskova and Kerber went on serve in the first 11 games without breaks. Pliskova hit a sliced forehand winner down the line to earn a set point on return and sealed the match with a break in 50 minutes. The Czech star did not face a break point in the entire match and sealed the second set with her only break in the sixth game. Kerber forced Pliskova to deuce five times in the seventh game, but the Czech held her serve. Pliskova sealed the match on her serve at 30 two games later.
Czech Republic has won five of the last seven Fed Cup titles and is bidding to win their first title since 2016.
In Sunday’s reverse rubber matches Pliskova will face Goerges and Kvitova will take on Kerber. Germany needs to win both singles to force the tie to the decisive doubles match. Tatjana Maria and Anna-Lena Groenefeld could meet Katerina Siniakova and Barbora Strykova.
“None expected this”, said Pliskova.
“We will have to gather together”, said German captain Jens Gerlach.
