Palermo, Italy – Petra Kvitova rallied from a set down to beat Sara Errani and keep the Czech Republic alive in their Fed Cup semifinal against Italy.
Kvitova posted a 2-6, 6-2, 6-0 victory on Sunday in the rain-delayed first reverse singles match to stave off a Italian sweep. Italy had taken a 2-0 edge after Saturday's singles action.
Rain prevented the start of Sunday's activities and once Kvitova had prevailed, unsettled weather for the rest of the day forced officials to move the final two scheduled rubbers to Monday.
Roberta Vinci will have the next opportunity to clinch the best-of-five tie for Italy against Lucie Safarova.
Errani and Vinci were singles winners Saturday. Errani thumped Safarova, 6-4, 6-2, to give the hosts the first point and Vinci was similarly dominant in a 6-4, 6-1 triumph over Kvitova in the second tilt.
Kvitova, who also lost to Vinci last week in the title match at Katowice, did not appear to have it in her to turn it around on Sunday. Errani dominated the first set in 38 minutes, but the 2011 Wimbledon champ turned it around by winning the final 11 games of the match after trailing 2-1 in the second set.
Should Safarova also bounce back and win the second reverse singles rubber, the deciding doubles match is currently set to feature Italian veterans Francesca Schiavone and Flavia Pennetta against the Czech duo of Andrea Hlavackova and Lucie Hradecka.
The winner of this semifinal will meet Russia, a 3-2 winner over the Slovak Republic, in November's final.
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