Kvitova, Pliskova to lead Czechs in Fed Cup final

Prague, Oct 31 (AFP) Petra Kvitova and Karolina Pliskova will lead the Czech Republic against defending champions the United States in the Fed Cup final in Prague on November 10-11, the team captain said Wednesday.

The world number seven and eight, respectively, will team up with 31st-ranked Katerina Siniakova, the world number one in doubles, and 33rd-ranked Barbora Strycova, who is fifth in doubles.

"I'm really excited, I appreciate having the strongest team I could put together," said captain Petr Pala, quoted by the CTK news agency.

The final pitting the two most successful nations in Fed Cup history -- the USA with 18 trophies and the Czech Republic with 10 including five as the former Czechoslovakia -- will be played on the hardcourt of the sold-out 15,000-capacity O2 Arena.

Holders the USA beat Belarus in Minsk last year after seeing off the Czechs in the semi-final.

Led by Kvitova and Pliskova, the Czechs have won five of the last seven editions including all three finals they have played on Prague's hardcourt.

"We are good at the finals, we are not so good against the Americans. We have never lost in the O2 Arena, but we have never beaten the Americans (in the final)," Pala said.

In this year's semi-finals, the Czechs beat Germany in Stuttgart while the United States edged France in Aix-en-Provence