Petra Kvitova, Lucie Safarova lead Czech Republic in Fed Cup

The Czech Republic has named its highest ranked players on Wednesday to face Spain in next month first round of the Fed Cup.

World No. 6 Petra Kvitova and Lucie Safarova, ranked 27th are expected to play the singles at the Feb 8-9 series on an outdoor clay-court in Seville.

Kvitova was upset in the first round of the Australian Open by Thailand's Luksika Kumkhum while Safarova wasted a match point in her third-round loss to eventual Australian Open champion Li Na.

Klara Zakopalova and Andrea Hlavackova have also been selected for the Czech team.

The Czechs - winners of the Fed Cup in 2011 and 2012, won their last series against Spain 4-1 in the 2009 first round, but trail the Iberians 2-1 in their head-to-head record.