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By Chris Oddo | Sunday April 17, 2016

Kiki Bertens tried to take the Netherlands on her back and power the nation into its first Fed Cup final since 1997, but Caroline Garcia and Kristina Mladenovic had other ideas.

Fed Cup: Czechs Come Through in Doubles to Reach Final

Garcia ousted Arantxa Rus, 6-3, 6-4, to bring Les Bleus level on Sunday, and Garcia paired with Mladenovic to battle from a set down to defeat Bertens and Richel Hogenkamp, 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, setting off an epic French celebration at Trélazé.

The victory sends France into the final for the first time since 2005, where it will host the Czech Republic this November.

Mladenovic and Garcia, who claimed their first career title as a team last week in Charleston, dropped the opening set and did not move ahead in the second set until the eighth game. They would reel off the final seven games of the second set to take control.

Hogenkamp was broken at love in the third game of the third set and Mladenovic—somehow—consolidated in the next game. She saved six break points, including rallying from 0-40 down to hold.

The French duo would break Bertens in the final game to close out the emotional victory.

Earlier in the day Bertens completed a 7-5, 6-4 victory over Mladenovic. It was Bertens' second singles victory of the weekend and it left the French deflated. But Garcia’s victory set the stage for a massive doubles victory.

“I have absolutely no words,” Mladenovic said.” I was like there’s no way we can lose this in front of [all our fans]. You play Fed Cup to live those kind of emotions.”

Bertens and Hogenkamp were disappointed in defeat, but proud that they nearly took out a deep French team on the road, against all odds.

“We fought as hard as we could,” said Bertens. “We did our best.”

“We were the underdog but I think we came so close and we did a really good job today,” added Hogenkamp.

The French will host the Czechs in the final in November. They were dispatched by the Czechs in the semifinals last year and will once again relish the role of underdog, but this time on home soil.

“Good revenge for us—strong team, they’re favorites, but we will see,” French Captain Amelie Mauresmo said.

 

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