Intro:

A look ahead to this weekend's (15th/16th April) Fed Cup semi-final between defending champions Czech Republic and France.

Script:

SOUNDBITE (English): Amelie Mauresmo, France Fed Cup captain:

Q. Czech Republic, very tough opponents, champions in the last few years, what do you tell your team this weekend, playing away from home as well, what do you try to say to your team?

"I think the story is still to be written. Definitely they are better than us on paper, better rankings - all of them - than our first player, but on one day, or two days, maybe things can be different, maybe things can change, try to have them do it."

SOUNDBITE (English): Caroline Garcia, France number one:

Q. Caroline, you are the French number one this weekend in Ostrava, is this one of the biggest moments of your career?

"I don't know if it's one of the best but I am just happy to be on court and able to defend the colours of my country on court, just very happy to be able to play tomorrow and bring the most I can to my team."

SOUNDBITE (English): Caroline Garcia, France number one:

Q. You have never played Lucie Safarova before, but I am guessing you know quite a lot about her?

"I know she is a great player and she had an amazing start to the year, and last year as well, with semis in Wimbledon, so she is a great player and I will have to play my best, for sure. It will be a big fight Saturday and Sunday and we'll see what happens."

SOUNDBITE (English): Lucie Safarova, Czech Republic:

Q. Lucy, a Fed Cup semi-final again for the Czech Republic this weekend, how are preparations going so far?

"It's going great, the arena's beautiful and we know it, we have played here before many times and it's our favourite surface as well, practices are going good, so we are ready."

SOUNDBITE (English): Petra Kvitova, Czech Republic:

Q. Petra, you have had a break from tennis for a couple of months, how are you feeling after your break?

"I am feeling good, I hope that the break helped me, I am feeling better than before for sure, so it's a very nice feeling and I am glad to have them again. It was very tough for me, the part of the season when I didn't feel 100 per cent, and I wasn't really playing, but now I am feeling much better and I am looking forward to the weekend."

SOUNDBITE (English): Petra Kvitova, Czech Republic:

"You know the Fed Cup is special, even for me, and I am always glad to be part of the team and playing in front of the home crowd. I hope this time it is going to be the same as always."

SOUNDBITE (English): Karolina Pliskova, Czech Republic:

"I think we are both ready for anything, and until Sunday anything can change and we will just hope that the girls can make it in the singles, but if we can play the doubles we will be ready and happy."