Tennis-Czechs beat Russia 3-2 to defend Fed Cup title

PRAGUE, Nov 15 (Reuters) - The Czech Republic defended their Fed Cup title on Sunday with a thrilling 3-2 victory over Russia as Karolina Pliskova won her singles match and then returned to the court to help secure victory in the deciding doubles. The Czechs, who claimed their fourth Fed Cup triumph in five years, fell behind 2-1 after Russia's Maria Sharapova defeated two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova 3-6, 6-4, 6-2 in the opening match of the day. Pliskova then tied the final after cruising to a 6-3, 6-4 victory over Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova as the Czech's service game and punishing forehand were too much for the Russian to handle. The Czechs claimed the title in the doubles after Pliskova and Barbora Strycova bounced back after losing the first set 4-6 to Elena Vesnina and Pavlyuchenkova to take the next two 6-3, 6-2 in front of a boisterous home crowd at the O2 arena. (Reporting by Michael Kahn,; Editing by Ian Chadband)