Prague: Maria Sharapova took Russia within a point of winning the Fed Cup after coming back from a set down to beat the Czech Republic's Petra Kvitova in a tense final rubber in Prague on Sunday. In a clash of the teams' number-one players, Sharapova, the world number four, edged sixth-ranked Kvitova 3-6, 6-4, 6-2 in two and a half hours.


Maria Sharapova of Russia reacts during her match against Petra Kvitova of Czech Republic at the International Tennis Federation Fed Cup final match between Czech Republic and Russia in Prague. Pic/AFP

The Czechs, the reigning champions, will now rely on Karolina Pliskova who is due to take on Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in the day's second rubber on the hardcourt of Prague's O2 Arena. Kvitova was 4-6 head-to-head with Sharapova before Sunday's rubber after winning their previous encounter in the semi-final of the WTA Tour Finals last month when Sharapova had come back from a four-month pause due to leg and arm problems.