Kristina Mladenovic stunned world number one Ashleigh Barty in three sets to give France a 2-1 lead over Australia in the Fed Cup final Sunday and inch them closer to a first title since 2003.
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.
"It's hard to speak," said an emotional Mladenovic afterwards as the tears flowed.
"We (the team) kept on fighting for every point and that's the way I like to play my tennis."
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