ITF

be an experience for this year's final. "We have been there [in a final] before, whereas a lot of the Australian girls haven't. It is an important factor for us." France's tussle with Czech Republic also marked the start of Garcia's two-year exile from Fed Cup duty, which ended when captain Julien Benneteau, who succeeded Yannick Noah in June 2018, selected her for February's tie with Belgium. A matter of weeks after the 2016 final, Garcia confirmed her intention to put her Fed Cup participation on ice for the foreseeable future and instead concentrate on her "individual career", having risen to No. 24 in the world rankings. The decision caused a rift between Garcia and her French teammates, which seemed irreparable until she was recalled in January for the World Group clash with Belgium in Liege, which the visitors won 3-1. In selecting Garcia, Benneteau said it was "inconceivable not to pick her, as France's best player", and now firmly restored to the fold, the 25-year-old is intent on conducting her national service with distinction. "It's nice to be back," said Garcia. "Two years goes fast in some ways, in others a lot of things happen. I always said that I would be back, and I always enjoyed playing for my team. I'm very excited with my decision and think it was a good one. "Playing Fed Cup has always meant a lot to me and it is important to play for your country. Every day that I play as Caroline Garcia there is the French flag alongside my name, but Fed Cup is different; there is team spirit and we are part of a big competition." SCARS MAY RUN DEEP BUT FRANCE'S NO. 1 CAROLINE GARCIA BELIEVES THE EXPERIENCE OF PAST FED CUP FINAL DESPAIR GIVES HER nation the upper hand as they prepare for their glory bid against Australia. If recent team selection is anything to go by then France are set to head into battle with the seven-time winners at Perth's RAC Arena on 9-10 November with similar personnel that contested, and lost, the 2016 final. Garcia won both her singles matches during that showdown against Czech Republic in Strasbourg – the last time France reached the tournament's finale – as Kristina Mladenovic and Alize Cornet succumbed to Karolina Pliskova and Barbora Strycova respectively. France's hopes ultimately disappeared with defeat in the doubles as Pliskova and Strycova overcame Garcia and Mladenovic 7-5 7-5. Consequently, Garcia is resolute in her desire to avoid similar pain this time around. "It was very difficult, and I was broken for sure," Garcia told ITFWorld. "We were not the favourites and very much the outsiders, but I won two singles matches, which were very tough, and the doubles was very close. "It could have gone our way, but we didn't play the best we could. Sometimes with the tension it is complicated, and we know we must be a team. In the end, we didn't do well enough in the doubles. "That final was a great lesson for me and for all of us. We now have the experience of losing and we don't want to have the feeling of losing a final again. "It is still a good memory, however, even if we didn't win because we were playing in France and the atmosphere in the stadium was great, and I think it can AUSTRALIA Champions 7 (1964, 1965, 1968, 1970, 1971, 1973, 1974) First year played 1963 Ties played 182 (130-52) Most total wins Wendy Turnbull (46-16) Most singles wins Samantha Stosur (29-20) Most doubles wins Wendy Turnbull (29-8) FRANCE Champions 2 (1997, 2003) First year played 1963 Ties played 152 (93-59) Most total wins Nathalie Tauziat (33-21) Most singles wins Amelie Mauresmo (30-9) Most doubles wins Nathalie Tauziat (20-9) Head-to-head Australia 5-1 France France before their semi-final showdown with Romania F E D C U P B Y B N P PA R I B A S F I N A L

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