After several months of waiting, the Serbs and Czechs gather in Prague to determine the best team of the 2012 season. The Fed Cup final is finally upon us.
Petra Kvitova anchors the defending champion Czech squad with Lucie Safarova as her wingwoman. Then they another talented doubles team in '11 French Open champions Hlavackova/Hradecka. (They seem to be able to churn out doubles teams in the Czech Republic, which has been a big key to their recent Fed Cup success.)
Jelena Jankovic is the heart and soul of the Serbian team but it is Ana Ivanovic who has had the better success on the tour this season. The role of the other players is yet to be determined but Bojana Jovanovski, who has rebounded after a poor 2011, is an available pinch hitter and Aleksandra Krunic may pair with Jankovic in doubles should there be a live 5th rubber.
As with most of the Czechs matches last year and this, this tie and the cup may come down to the doubles. If that's the case, you have to like the hometown ladies to win, though I won't count out Jankovic. To avoid a final doubles rubber, the Serbs must beat Kvitova, which is much more possible this year than last, especially given Kvitova's recently illness. The head says Czech Republic wins 3-2 behind 2 wins from Kvitova and the doubles team, but my heart says Serbia with Ivanovic or Jankovic finding a way to beat Kvitova and allowing Jankovic to clinch against Safarova 3-1. It should be an entertaining tie nonetheless.
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