Sydney: France claimed the 2019 Fed Cup after winning three of five matches against Australia in Perth on Sunday.
The biggest annual team competition in women’s tennis held plenty of twists including a surprise loss by world No 1 Ash Barty earlier on the day. In the end it came down to a doubles decider between French pair Caroline Garcia/Kristina Mladenovic and Aussies Ash Barty/Samantha Stosur, with the French clinching a safe victory 6-4, 6-3. Earlier on the day, Mladenovic beat Barty 2-6, 6-4, 7-6 (1) in a nail-biting singles match which set France up to take the victory. Barty has been in scintillating form, thrashing Caroline Garcia 6-0, 6-0 on Saturday after winning the WTA Finals in China last weekend. But after Barty comfortably took the first set, 40th-ranked Mladenovic found her touch to claw back the second set and topple the Australian 2-6, 6-4, 7-6 (7/1) at a packed Perth Arena. However in the next singles match, Australia’s Alja Tomljanovic beat Pauline Parmentier 6-4, 7-5, keeping Australia’s hopes alive before Mladenovic was once again too powerful for the Aussies, completing a dream day for the world No 40. It is the third Fed Cup France has won, and deprives Australia of their first victory in 45 years. (PTI)
