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France's tennis team won the third Fed Cup on Sunday (November 10th) beating Australia at home in Perth (3-2). France's Caroline Garcia and Kristina Mladenovic brought the victory point in doubles. After the break in 2017, the Blue, reconciled, drop the Grail.
The Fed Cup becomes French again. After the first coronation in 1997 of Alexandra Fusai, Mary Pierce, Nathalie Tauziat and Sandrine Testud, then that of 2003 with Stephanie Cohen, Emilie Loit, Amelie Mauresmo and Mary Pierce, here comes the time of the champions of 2019: Caroline Garcia, Kristina Mladenovic, Pauline Parmentier, as well as Alizé Cornet and Fiona Ferro (who played in the quarterfinals) won the away title, hard, in the Perth RAC Arena against Australia.
Garcia-Mladenovic, the resuscitated and winning pair
On Saturday, Kristina Mladenovic brought the first point to France by defeating Ajla Tomlanovic (6-1, 6-1), before the Australian and world number one Ashleigh Barty equalized by sending Caroline Garcia (6-0, 6- 0). Then, this Sunday, November 10, Kristina Mladenovic allowed France to lead 2-1 by dominating Ashleigh Barty (2-6, 6-4, 7-6 [1]). But Ajla Tomljanovic then tamed Pauline Parmentier (6-4, 7-5) and handed the two teams to 2-2.
The spectators of Perth were therefore entitled to a double decisive. A final match to determine whether Australia would win again the Fed Cup, 45 years after his last coronation, or if France would lift the trophy for the third time and thus wring the neck to his last three failures (2004, 2005 and 2016).
THEY'VE DONE IT!
Congratulations to France who are 2019 Fed Cup champions! 🇫🇷 🏆 # TousEnsemBleu #FedCupFinal pic.twitter.com/IVtmqfry8o
The coin fell on the side of Les Bleues. Although home Australian Ashleigh Barty and Samantha Stosur could not do anything against the pair Caroline Garcia-Kristina Mladenovic (6-4, 6-3). As a symbol, it is these two tenniswomen who gave France the point of victory. This team comes back from a long way.
Ten months of healing until victory
At the end of 2016, the French women lost to the Fed Cup final at home against the Czech Republic (3-2). In the months that followed, deep tensions erupted between the French number one, Caroline Garcia, and her teammates. The first, focusing on his individual career, refuses the team selection of France by claiming a wound. Kristina Mladenovic, her usual double sidekick, and the other Blues are angry, do not believe much and make it known.
The France Fed Cup team is then in pieces. We get toe, we send spades to words covered, and nobody comes out grown. And then, at the beginning of the year, Julien Benneteau, recent retiree, succeeds Yannick Noah as captain, with one goal: to put everything back, to calm discords and rebuild this team of France with the best players.
Magnificent match of @CaroGarcia and @KikiMladenovic who beat Samantha Stosur and Ashleigh Barty in the decisive double 6-4, 6-3 in the final of the @FedCup by BNP Paribas! #AllEnsemBlue 🔥💙
© C.Dubreuil / FFT pic.twitter.com/AhrxpnaTNz
The current passes again, the words cure the evils, the excuses are released, Caroline Garcia returns in team of France .... and ten months later, she and Kristina Mladenovic, in tears and embracing, enjoy the 2019 Fed Cup with their teammates and captain.
" A wonderful story "
Emmanuel Macron, President of the Republic, congratulated the champions: " Congratulations to all the team and to your coach for this world title. Combative and determined, you have been exceptional. " To be able to do that with Caro, it was written, it was destiny. It's just amazing that it happens in such a way, at the end of suspense. It's just a wonderful story, "said Kristina Mladenovic.
Caroline Garcia said, "A lot has happened. We were really there to get our dreams together. We managed to put our different holes and our egos aside to face. (...) Julien found the right words. (...) It took time. " After rain the good weather ; after the slump, the victory.