Perth (Australia) (AFP)

France and Australia will decide in a decisive double: the two teams are tied for two victories everywhere at the end of the singles in the final of the Fed Cup, Sunday in Perth.

The double will pit Kristina Mladenovic and Caroline Garcia against Ashleigh Barty, world No. 1 in singles, and Samantha Stosur.

France first took the advantage on Sunday, thanks to the prestigious victory of Mladenovic (40th) against Barty 2-6, 6-4, 7-6 (7/1) after more than 2:30 min of combat.

Then Australia equalized with the fastest success, 6-4, 7-5 in just over an hour and a half, of its No. 2, Ajla Tomljanovic (51st), against Pauline Parmentier (122nd), favorite in Garcia, the French N.2 (45th), by captain Julien Benneteau.

The day before, Mladenovic had brought the first point to the Blue by overtaking Tomljanovic (6-1, 6-1). Then Barty had allowed his country to return to height by not leaving any game to Garcia (6-0, 6-0).

France are chasing after their third Fed Cup trophy, after 1997 and 2003, Australia after their first in 45 years, the eighth overall.

Before the defeat of Parmentier, Mladenovic had positioned the Blues to a point of victory by signing a feat against Barty, hitherto undefeated since early 2017 and a series of fifteen consecutive matches in the Fed Cup (single and double combined).

- 47 unforced errors for Barty -

Like Saturday at Garcia's expense, the world No.1 came out perfectly, with four aces in his first two service games and an entry break to lead 3-0. So that at that moment, she had not lost any game of the final.

Less domineering then, in service as in exchange, Barty held firm in the first set, helped also by the difficulties in the service of Mladenovic (45% first ball only).

The first opening came at the start of the second run for the French N.1, when she got five break points, including three in a row. Barty did not bend. She even got a break point a little later, 4-3, which could put her in the position to serve for the match. But his passing remained in the net.

And the game gradually trickled between his fingers.

It was Mladenovic who broke in the next game, then pocketed the second set. It is she too who quickly widened the gap in the third, 3 games to 1.

At the edge of the precipice when she found herself facing a double break ball, Barty found the resources to pick up at 3-3.

In a late-game high voltage, Mladenovic served for the win of the match after a break at 5-4. But she knew the same fate at the worst moment. In the decisive game, however, she left no chance to the world No.1, which has scored more than one point and ended up paying 47 faults.

© 2019 AFP