By Adrianna Outlaw | Tuesday, February 2, 2016

 

Simona Halep will postpone scheduled nose surgery to play in Romania's Fed Cup tie vs. the Czech Republic this weekend.

Photo credit: APIA Sydney International

Simona Halep is postponing scheduled surgery to her nose to head Romania's Fed Cup charge against defending champion Czech Republic this weekend.

The world No. 3 leads a Romanian squad that features 37th-ranked Monica Niculescu, Andreea Mitu and Raluca Olaru. Romania has won seven straight Fed Cup ties to return to the World Group.

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The injured Alexandra Dulgheru will sit out the World Group opening-round tie staged on hard court in Cluj-Napoca, Romania.

"It's a great advantage to have Simona Halep in our team," Romania captain Alina Cercel-Tecsor said. "But let's not forget that the Czech Republic has a strong team, with players in the top 10, so chances are somehow equal."

Halep, who was upset in the Australian Open opening-round by 133rd-ranked qualifier Shuai Zhang, orginally planned to have surgery and take February off before launching defense of her Indian Wells title in March.

Two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova, 13th-ranked Karolina Pliskova, Barbora Strycova and Denisa Allertova have been selected to the Czech Republic team by captain Petr Pala.

Last November, the Czechs rallied from a 1-2 deficit to defeat visiting Russia in the 2015 Fed Cup final.

It was the Czech Republic's ninth Fed Cup championship, including the fourth in the last five years. The Czechs are bidding to become the first nation to win three consecutive Fed Cup championships since Spain claimed its third straight Fed Cup in 1995.