PARIS, Nov 30: Champions France, roared on by a fanatical crowd, were one win away from retaining the Davis Cup after Fabrice Santoro and Nicolas Escude staged a thrilling comeback to win the doubles 6-3 3-6 5-7 6-3 6-4 on Saturday.

Yevgeny Kafelnikov and world number three Marat Safin appeared well set for victory after taking the third set and leading 2-0 early in the fourth.

But the French pair played exhilarating doubles, particularly at the net, to win five games running and eight of the next nine to turn the match around. The hosts lead 2-1 with the two reverse singles to come on Sunday.

Kafelnikov, who has vowed to retire if Russia win their first Davis Cup, has now lost the doubles in each of his three finals.

The odds are stacked against the Russians as the team losing the doubles have not won the final since 1977. France, bidding for their 10th title, last won the Davis Cup in successive years in 1932 in the days of their tennis “musketeers”.