Australia back in the Fed Cup World Group with win over Netherlands
Ash Barty believes Australia can break a 45-year Fed Cup title drought after piloting the one-time tennis superpower back into the World Group for the first time since 2015.
Barty's back-to-back singles wins over Quirine Lemoine and Lesley Kerkhove helped Australia to victory over the Netherlands in their World Group playoff in Wollongong.
Daria Gavrilova sealed Australia's return to the eight-nation elite with a 6-3, 6-2 defeat of Lemoine that gave the hosts an unbeatable 3-1 lead after Barty outclassed Kerkhove 6-4, 6-2 in Sunday's first reverse singles match.
External Link: Fed Cup tweet: Going up
Living up to her status as the indoor hardcourt tie's highest-ranked player, Barty improved her impressive record in the competition to 11-2 — and 6-1 in singles — with her eighth straight Fed Cup win.
Now the world number 19 craves a crack at the title that has eluded Australia since 1974.
"It's been a bit of a tricky spot for us the last couple of years, when we've been in World Group II," Barty said.
"Yes, we're doing our best to win every single tie and every rubber but there's no title at the end.
"So it's a bit of a different feeling. We've known it's been a work in progress to get back into the World Group and now we're in a perfect position to put ourselves in with a chance for a shot at the title next year."
With Barty and Gavrilova entrenched in the world's top 25 and grand slam champion Samantha Stosur — who is also a former world number one doubles exponent — another singles option for captain Alicia Molik.
Australia can "absolutely" lift the trophy in 2019 according to their spearhead.
"You look at the nations who have dominated in the last 10 years or so, one of the most dominant teams is the Czech Republic," Barty said.
"They have quality singles players and a quality doubles combination and that's what we have."
After replacing Stosur on Sunday, Gavrilova buried the demons of her horror showing in February — when the world number 24 suffered shock losses in both her matches in Australia's 3-2 escape against the Ukraine in Canberra.
"It feels amazing," said the Russian-born 23-year-old after draping herself in the Australian flag and completing a lap of honour following her tie-sealing win.
"I was super nervous. Just playing for your country is so much harder than just playing any other tournament."
The draw for next year's eight-team World Group competition will be held after the 2018 final in November.
Australia faces a quarter-final showdown with one of the top four seeds, likely to be the Czech Republic, defending champions the United States, France and Germany.
If Australia draw the Czechs or Germany, they will host the tie.
But a clash with the USA would be away, while a coin toss would be needed to determine who hosted any tie between Australia and France.
The other three spots in the 2019 World Group will be decided on Sunday night when Belgium and Italy, Romania and Switzerland and Belarus and Slovakia complete their playoffs.
AAP
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