Petra Kvitova, Andrea Petkovic to clash in Fed Cup final opener

Prague: Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova will take on Andrea Petkovic in the opening rubber of the Fed Cup final between the Czech Republic and Germany starting in Prague on Saturday.

After Friday`s draw, world number four Kvitova will face 14th-ranked Petkovic on the hardcourt of Prague`s O2 Arena at 1200 GMT on Saturday.

Then 17th-ranked Lucie Safarova will take on Germany`s world number ten Angelique Kerber.

In Sunday`s reverse singles rubbers, Kvitova will take on Kerber in a clash of the teams` number-one players and Safarova will then face Petkovic.

The home side`s Andrea Hlavackova and Lucie Hradecka were nominated for Sunday`s doubles rubber against Julia Goerges and Sabine Lisicki.

The Czechs are eyeing their third Fed Cup win in four years after lifting the trophy in 2011 and 2012.

Germany are looking for their first title since 1992, when a team led by Steffi Graf and current captain Barbara Rittner won the title.

The hosts however lead Germany 6-1 in previous meetings.

In their last Fed Cup encounter, the Czech Republic led by Kvitova beat Lisicki-led Germany 4-1 in Stuttgart in February 2012, with Hradecka, Goerges, Kerber and Groenefeld also playing.