PARIS — Karolina Pliskova and Lucie Hradecka secured the Czech Republic a fifth Fed Cup final appearance in six years with victory in the deciding doubles against Switzerland Sunday.
Waiting for the defending champion in the Nov. 12-13 final will be France, which edged the Netherlands in their semifinal in Trelaze.
The semifinal in Lucerne, level at 1-1 overnight, went down to the wire after Pliskova's comfortable win over Timea Bacsinszky before a stunning comeback from Viktorija Golubic against Barbora Strycova.
But Switzerland's dream of making its first final since 1998 was ended when Pliskova and Hradecka despatched Golubic and Martina Hingis 6-2, 6-2 to take the tie 3-2.
France, all square with the Dutch at 1-1 after Saturday's singles, progressed in similar fashion to make its first finals since 2005.
Skippered by Amelie Mauresmo the French went into the tie on claycourt against surprise semifinalist the Netherlands as clear favorite.
But the Dutch took a 2-1 lead courtesy of Kiki Bertens' 7-5, 6-4 win over Kristina Mladenovic in Sunday's opening match.
Caroline Garcia defeated Arantxa Rus 6-3, 6-4 to get the host back level, and then Garcia teamed up with Kristina Maldenovic in the concluding doubles against Bertens and Richel Hogenkamp to clinch the tie 4-6, 6-3, 6-3.
Muguruza seals Spain's place in World Group
World No. 4 Garbine Muguruza ensured Spain's place back in the World Group of the Fed Cup with a 6-2, 6-2 win over Roberta Vinci in Lleida Sunday.
Muguruza's second victory of the tie gave Spain an unassailable 3-0 lead after she overcame Francesca Schiavone and Carla Suarez Navarro eased past US Open finalist Vinci Saturday.
Spain, captained by former Wimbledon champion Conchita Martinez, return to the World Group for the first time since losing to eventual winners Czech Republic in 2014.
Germany beats Romania
Angelique Kerber fought off Simona Halep to clinch a 6-2, 6-2 win while Andrea Petkovic overcame Monica Niculescu to give Germany an insurmountable 3-1 lead Sunday over Romania in their Fed Cup World Group playoff.
Petkovic rallied from a disastrous first set to beat Niculescu 0-6, 7-6 (1), 6-3 and confirm Germany's World Group status.
Germany made it 4-1 when it won the final doubles match with Annika Beck and Julia Goerges defeating Alexandra Dulgheru and Irina-Camelia Begu 6-7 (5), 7-6 (4), 10-7.
US beats Australia
In Brisbane, a below-strength United States booked a place in the Fed Cup World Group in 2017 when Coco Vandeweghe came from a set down to beat Australia's Samantha Stosur.
Vandeweghe's 2-6, 7-5, 6-4 win in the first of the reverse singles gave the Americans an unassailable 3-0 lead in their World Group play-off match on Pat Rafter Arena in Brisbane.
The Americans later made it a clean sweep when Vandeweghe teamed with Bethanie Mattek-Sands to down Australian pair Daria Gavrilova and Arina Rodionova 6-1, 6-4 in the doubles.
