Czech Republic suffer Karolina Pliskova blow ahead of Fed Cup final
The Czech Republic will have to do without Karolina Pliskova in the Fed Cup final against the United States.
The world No 8 picked up a calf injury during last week’s WTA Finals in Singapore, where she reached the semi-final, and hasn’t recovered fully ahead of the showpiece event next weekend.
Team spokesperson Karel Tejkal told reporters she was with “diagnosed a torn calf and renewed chronic problems with the wrist”.
Pliskova tweeted that she was “terribly sorry” to miss the final, adding: “Already in Singapore I had days when even walking hurt and I felt terrible, but I didn’t think it was important
“Our team is so strong that the girls will replace me.”
World doubles No 1 Barbora Krejcikova will replace the 26-year-old in the Czech squad, which will be led by world No 7 Petra Kvitova while Barbora Strycova and 31st-ranked Katerina Siniakova are also part of the team.
The Fed Cup final will take place at Prague’s O2 Arena from November 10-11.