Fed Cup final this week

The Fed Cup final is being played this weekend between the Czech Republic and the USA, the defending champions.

Venue: O2 Arena, Prague, Czech Republic 

Surface:  Hard - Novacrylic Ultracushion®, Indoor

Teams

Czech Republic 

Captain: Petr Pala

Petra Kvitová (world ranked 7 singles)

Katerina Siniakova (world ranked 31 singles, eq 1 doubles)

Barbora Strycova (world ranked 33 singles, 5 doubles)

Barbora Krejcikova (world ranked 203 singles, eq 1 doubles)

USA 

Captain: Kathy Rinaldi-Stunkel

Danielle Collins (world ranked 36 singles, 410 doubles)

Sofia Kenin (world ranked 52 singles, 138 doubles)

Alison Riske (world ranked 63 singles, 317 doubles)

Nicole Melichar (world ranked 876 singles, 15 doubles)

Nicole Melichar will make her Fed Cup debut, and in a final.  What makes it special is that Nicole was born to Czech parents in Brno. She moved with the family to Florida soon after, and as an American has become an accomplished doubles player.

2018 saw Nicole win two WTA doubles titles, and make the doubles final at Wimbledon, all with Czech partner Kveta Peschke.

Melichar also captured the 2018 Wimbledon mixed doubles crown, partnering Alexander Peya

Missing from the final are a number of players who would have been automatic picks, but injury has unfortunately prevented their selection:

USA Sloane Stephens (world ranked 6 singles)

Czech Republic Karolina Pliskova (world ranked 8 singles)

USA Serena Williams (world ranked 16 singles)

USA Madison Keys (world ranked 17 singles)

USA CoCo Vandeweghe (world ranked 14 doubles)