Czechs to miss Kvitova, Safarova in Fed Cup at Switzerland

PRAGUE (AP) — Defending champion Czech Republic will be without its two highest-ranked players — Petra Kvitova and Lucie Safarova — in next week's Fed Cup semifinals at Switzerland.

Kvitova and Safarova were key members of the Czech team that won four Fed Cup titles in five years.

But the No.7-ranked Kvitova has been struggling since she terminated her seven-year partnership with coach David Kotyza in January, and the 15th-ranked Safarova needs more time to return to form following last year's illness.

No.18 Karolina Pliskova, who won both singles matches and the doubles in the 3-2 victory at Romania in the first round, will lead the Czechs for the April 16-17 series on an indoor hard court in Lucerne.

Barbora Strycova, Denisa Allertova and Lucie Hradecka were also included in the team.