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Lucie Safarova of Czech Republic (left) and Serbia’s Ana Ivanovic
on the eve of the Fed Cup final, in Prague, on Friday. (Reuters) |
Prague: Petra Kvitova hopes her recent illness will not scupper her efforts to lead the Czech Republic’s Fed Cup title defence on home soil in the final against Serbia this weekend.
Kvitova pulled out of the WTA championships in Istanbul last week with a cold and had her first full training session on Thursday ahead of the opening singles rubbers on Saturday. The world No. 8, who led the Czechs to their first title since 1988 against Russia in Moscow last year, said she hoped to be better for the clash.
“I am feeling fine, I believe tomorrow everything will be as it should be. Of course I am not 100 per cent healthy,” she said after Friday’s draw that pitted her against Jelena Jankovic in Saturday’s second singles rubber. After not having trained as I should have, it looked quite good, I am satisfied with how I played.
“The cold is limiting me a little, I cannot breathe as much as I could, but hopefully this is a small thing. Physically there will be a deficit, given I had to take antibiotics, but I believe I can make it.”
The 22-year-old will be joined on the Czech team by world No. 17, and fellow left-hander, Lucie Safarova and an experienced doubles team of Lucie Hradecka and Andrea Hlavackova, who won Olympic silver in London this year. (Reuters)
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