Holders Czech Republic on Wednesday named a five-member squad led by world No 8 Petra Kvitova for their Fed Cup semifinal tie against Italy on clay in Palermo on April 20-21.
Besides Kvitova, team captain Petr Pala has called up world number 21 Klara Zakopalova and 25th-ranked Lucie Safarova along with doubles specialists Andrea Hlavackova and Lucie Hradecka, the world numbers four and five in doubles.
“I’ll make the final decision on the team on the spot depending on the health and shape of the players,” Pala, who can only name four players for the actual tie, said on the team’s Facebook page.
The Czechs eased past Australia 4-0 at home in this year’s first round in February, while Italy beat the United States 3-2.
Kvitova and Safarova, both left-handed, led the Czechs to two straight Fed Cup victories in 2011 and 2012.
Besides the two recent wins for the CzechRepublic, the former Czechoslovakia lifted the Fed Cup five times between 1975 and 1988.
Italy won the trophy in 2006, 2009 and 2010.
