STUTTGART, Germany (AP) — Petra Kvitova and Karolina Pliskova gave the Czech Republic a 2-0 lead over Germany in the Fed Cup semifinals with dominant displays in their opening rubbers on Saturday.
Kvitova defeated Julia Goerges 6-3, 6-2, before Pliskova followed up with a 7-5, 6-3 win over two-time Grand Slam winner Angelique Kerber in the World Group.
"No one expected it," Pliskova said after the German hosts failed to win a set.
Goerges lasted only an hour with 23 unforced errors against the 10th-ranked Kvitova, who dropped just two points on her serve in the second set and converted four of five break points.
It was Kvitova's 29th singles win in the Fed Cup.
Pliskova served 15 aces as she subdued the home fans in Stuttgart.
The German team will have to win both reverse singles and the doubles game on Sunday to reach its first final since 2014.
"I think everything is possible in the Fed Cup. Nothing's decided yet. We shouldn't lose hope," Goerges said.
The 10-time champion Czechs have a 7-1 head-to-head record over their hosts. The Germans' only win came in 1987 when Steffi Graf was part of the team that beat Czechoslovakia 2-1 in the World Group semifinals in Vancouver.
