Halep postpones nose surgery to play in Fed Cup

BUCHAREST (Reuters) - World number three Simona Halep decided to postpone an operation on her nose to play in the Fed Cup against defending champions Czech Republic this weekend, the Romanian tennis federation said on Tuesday.

(Reuters)

Halep announced last month she would skip the match in Cluj-Napoca and tournaments in Dubai and Doha, hoping to return to defend her title at Indian Wells in March.

"It's a great advantage to have Simona Halep in our team," Romania captain Alina 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."

Romania's Alexandra Dulgheru will miss the match against the Czechs due to injury.

The Czechs will be led into their World Group opener by world number nine Petra Kvitova and 13th-ranked Karolina Pliskova with Barbora Strycova and Denisa Allertova completing the lineup.

(Reporting by Angel Krasimirov; editing by Toby Davis)