Strasbourg - Karolina Pliskova defeated Kristina Mladenovic 6-3, 4-6, 16-14 in a marathon opening rubber to give defending champions Czech Republic the lead in their Fed Cup final against France on Saturday.
In a match lasting 12 minutes short of four hours, US Open runner-up Pliskova claimed victory having earlier been 5-2 up in the decider and holding two match points.
Later Saturday, two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova faces Caroline Garcia in the second rubber where the Czechs look to take a step closer to a fifth Fed Cup title in six years.