Sunday 9 November 2014 16:24, UK
Czech Republic maintained their grip of the Fed Cup after Petra Kvitova's win over Germany’s Angelique Kerber secured a third title in four years.
Wins for Kvitova and Lucie Safarova over Andrea Petkovic and Kerber on Saturday put the home side 2-0 up and in control of the final in the O2 Arena in Prague.
Wimbledon champion and world No 4 Kvitova settled the best-of-five series on Sunday with a three-set thriller, beating Kerber 7-6 (7-5) 4-6 6-4 in two hours and 57 minutes.
The first set turned into a 76-minute classic. Kvitova squandered four break points in game two while Kerber needed just one to break her in the fifth game before doing it again for a 5-2 lead.
But Kvitova broke her rival back twice to come level at 5-5. She went on an attacking spree to earn another break and grab a 6-5 lead, before the drama peaked in game 12.
It was really up and down from the beginning of the match and there was always a big fight for every single point. I was lucky in the end maybe.
Kerber had five set points in that game but Kvitova managed to tame her before converting her fifth break point of the game to take the set to a tie-break.
In the tie-break, Kvitova rallied to a 4-1 lead before allowing Kerber to come level but finally took the tie-break 7-5 with a roaring forehand down the line.
Kerber lost momentum early into the second set and let Kvitova take a 3-0 lead after winning the first two games to love. But she was quick to recover as she broke Kvitova's serve twice to square the set at three apiece.
Combining ferocious shots with slices and stop volleys, Kerber and Kvitova held onto their serves until Kerber earned two break points at 5-4 and converted the second one as Kvitova fired wide to take the set after 46 minutes.
In high spirits, Kerber broke Kvitova early into the third set as the Czech player kept piling up unforced errors.
But Kvitova fought back once again, broke Kerber's serve twice and closed the rubber out on her fourth match point as Kerber netted a backhand shot.
"Angie played so well and I'm just glad that I did it, it was really about one point and then she could take it," said a jubilant Kvitova.
"It was really up and down from the beginning of the match and there was always a big fight for every single point. I was lucky in the end maybe."
