SYDNEY: World number nine Ashleigh Barty continued her recent strong run of form and guided Australia to their first Fed Cup final since 1993 with a 3-2 victory over Belarus in Brisbane on Sunday.

Barty, who won both her singles matches in the semi-final tie, and veteran Samantha Stosur beat Victoria Azarenka and Aryna Sabalenka 7-5, 3-6, 6-2 in the deciding doubles to set up a final against either France or Romania in November.

Australia, who have not won the title since 1974, will host the final against the winner of the second semi-final, which was locked at 1-1 in Rouen.

Barty had earlier given Australia a 2-1 lead after a superb mixture of tactics, scrambling defence and a powerful service game to beat Sabalenka 6-2, 6-2.

It was her second singles win of the tie after she beat Azarenka on Saturday and her success came on the back of winning her first WTA Premier level tournament in Miami last month.

Azarenka was originally not listed to play the doubles but after she dismantled Stosur 6-1, 6-1 in 59 minutes to send the tie to the decider, she quickly had her racquets restrung and joined the 20-year-old in the doubles.

Barty is 20-3 in singles in 2019. She made it to the quarter-finals at the Australian Open and also won all three matches she played two singles and doubles in helping Australia beat the United States 3-2 in the previous round of the Fed Cup.

“I feel fortunate ... to have the stage in April and we’ll get to share it again in November,” Barty said. “I don’t remember anyone talking about just making the final and I think that’s a good thing.”

Belarus, a losing finalist in 2017, was scheduled to pit Lidziya Marozava and Vera Lapko against the Australian duo, who were playing together for the first time. But with so much on the line team captain Tatiana Poutchek opted instead for the more accomplished pairing.

But they fell short to give seven-time champions Australia a crack at their first title since last winning in 1974.

“I could not have picked two more perfect athletes to compete. Ash and Sam are superstars,” said elated Australian captain Alicia Molik.

Published in Dawn, April 22nd, 2019