Australia beat France, Les Bleus need a feat to qualify!
In the end, Arthur Fils' under-performance in the first singles of the match cost the French the match. Although dominant overall, the 20-year-old was ineffective on the important points, being trapped by an opportunistic Kokkinakis (7-6, 7-6).
Far from giving up, the French team quickly reacted, through Ugo Humbert. Assuming his status with great authority, the French number 1 dominated Popyrin (6-3, 6-2) to level the scores and take the match to the decisive doubles.
All was then decided between the pairing of Herbert/Roger-Vasselin and the formidable Ebden/Purcell.
Far from being ridiculous, Les Bleus competed very well and the match quickly took on the form of a duel between specialists.
Saving a match point in the second set, the French even managed to wrest a final set before finally succumbing, conceding their first set far too quickly (7-5, 5-7, 6-3).
Defeated by the skin of their teeth, France now have no choice but to pull off a minor miracle.
In all likelihood, they'll need to win their last two matches to qualify.
And that means beating Carlos Alcaraz's Spain.
Easier said than done!
