Maria Sharapova puts Russia ahead in Fed Cup final

Maria Sharapova took Russia within a point of winning the Fed Cup after coming back from a set down to beat Petra Kvitova in a tense final rubber in Prague on Sunday.

In a clash of the teams’ number-one players, Sharapova, the world number four, edged sixth-ranked Kvitova 3-6, 6-4, 6-2 in two and a half hours.

Karolina Pliskova is now due to take on Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in the day’s second rubber on the hardcourt of Prague’s O2 Arena.

Kvitova was 4-6 head-to-head with Sharapova before Sunday’s rubber after winning their previous encounter in the semi-final of the WTA Tour Finals last month.

On Saturday, Kvitova came back from a set down to beat Pavlyuchenkova 2-6, 6-1, 6-1 and Sharapova then won her first ever meeting with Pliskova 6-3, 6-4 to put Russia level.

If the score is tied at 2-2 after Sunday’s singles, Czechs Lucie Safarova and Barbora Strycova are due to play against Ekaterina Makarova and Elena Vesnina in the final doubles rubber.