Tennis: women’s team edges Belgium in Fed Cup semifinal

The Czech women’s tennis team reached the final of the Fed Cup for the first time in 23 years after edging Belgium in the best-of-five semifinal on Sunday. The decision came down to the final doubles match between Czechs Iveta Benešová and Barbora Zahlavová-Strycová against Yanina Wickmayer and Kirsten Flipkens, which the Czechs won 6:4, 6:4. The last time the women’s team has competed in the Fed Cup final was for Czechoslovakia in 1988 against the Soviet Union. That team included Czech players Jana Novotná and Helena Suková and the team won. In this year’s final, the Czechs will face Russia. The final takes place on November 5 and 6th.