The Czech Republic clinched the Fed Cup title after Kveta Peschke and Lucie Hradecka won the decisive doubles rubber in Moscow.
Peschke and Hradecka win deciding doubles rubber in Moscow
The Czech Republic were crowned Fed Cup champions after Kveta Peschke and Lucie Hradecka defeated Maria Kirilenko and Elena Vesnina in the decisive doubles rubber in Moscow.
Peschke and Hradecka held their nerve to claim a comfortable 6-4 6-2 victory, handing the Czechs their first title in the competition since becoming an independent nation.
The contest was tied at 1-1 at the start of the final day but Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova edged the Czech Republic in front after coming from a set down to beat Svetlana Kuznetsova 4-6 6-2 6-3.
However, Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova then saw off Lucie Safarova 6-2 6-4 as the hosts took the match into a winner-takes-all doubles clash.
But they could not maintain any momentum they gained from Pavlyuchenkova's win as Kirilenko and Vesnina never looked like seriously challenging the victorious Czech duo.
Tough test
Earlier, world number two Kvitova came through a tough test against two-time grand slam winner Svetlana Kuznetsova to win her second singles rubber of the tie.
The Russian moved a set up after a 52-minute long battle but Kvitova found her feet in the second set, breaking twice to take it into a decider.
Kuznetsova broke early in the third set to take a 3-0 lead before the 21-year-old left-hander reeled off six games in a row to complete the victory.
Pavlyuchenkova was then chosen to replace Kirilenko, who had lost to Kvitova in straight sets on Saturday, and the decision paid off as she easily defeated Safarova.
The world number 15 was on the front foot straight away as she took the first set in comfortable fashion and although her opponent made a fight of it in the second set, she could not mount a comeback.
