Tennis-Czechs race into 2-0 lead over France in Fed Cup semi

PRAGUE, April 18 (Reuters) - Fed Cup holders Czech Republic took a 2-0 lead in their semi-final against France after Lucie Safarova battled back from the brink of defeat to win the opener before Petra Kvitova won the second singles on Saturday. The 13th-ranked Safarova saved five match points in the second set before beating 29th-ranked Caroline Garcia 4-6 7-6(1) 6-1 in front of a boisterous crowd at Ostrava's CEZ arena before Kvitova swept aside Kristina Mladenovic 6-3 6-4. Safarova struggled for form in losing the first set and was in trouble in the second but Garcia could not finish off the Czech lefty who stormed back to take the set in the tiebreak. The Czech served well to wrap up the victory in the third with Garcia looking tired and putting up little resistance. "It was a very tough match," Safarova said. "She played very well at the beginning but I always believed I could turn it around." Next up was fourth-ranked Kvitova who made quick work of Mladenovic and showed no signs of rust from a two-month break as she dispatched her 58th-ranked French opponent in straight sets. After Sunday's reverse singles, Karolina Pliskova and Barbora Strycova are expected to team up to face Alize Cornet and Pauline Parmentier in doubles. The Czechs have lost all three encounters against France since becoming an independent nation in 1993. The winners will face either Germany or Russia in the final. (Reporting by Michael Kahn,; Editing by Ken Ferris)