Fed Cup: Strycova beats Cornet to take tie into decider

IMAGE: Czech Republic's Barbora Strycova celebrates her victory against France's Alize Cornet in the Fed Cup final in Strasbourg, France, on Sunday. Photograph: Vincent Kessler/Reuters

Barbora Strycova beat Alize Cornet 6-2, 7-6(4) to put defending champions Czech Republic level at 2-2 against hosts France and send the Fed Cup final into a doubles decider on Sunday.

Strycova raced through the opening set and rallied from 4-1 down in the second to keep alive her team's hopes of claiming a fifth title in six years.

IMAGE: France's Caroline Garcia celebrates her victory against Czech Republic's Petra Kvitova on Saturday. Photograph: Vincent Kessler/Reuters

Earlier, Caroline Garcia had put France ahead with an impressive 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 victory over world number six Karolina Pliskova.

The world number 23 had already earned Amelie Mauresmo's team the first point against double Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova before Pliskova levelled with an epic win against Kristina Mladenovic on Saturday.

Kvitova and Mladenovic were due to play the second reverse singles but they were replaced by Strycova and Cornet because the former were both likely to feature in the doubles.

Source: REUTERS
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