Ai Sugiyama, rebounding from four wasted match points in the second set, upset France's Mary Pierce 7-5, 6-7 (7-9), 6-4 Sunday and kept Japan's Fed Cup hopes alive.
France led 2-1 with two matches remaining Sunday - France's Nathalie Tauziat against Naoko Sawamatsu and then a doubles match.France had taken a 2-0 lead Saturday with victories by Pierce over Sawamatsu and Tauziat over Sugiyama, who let one match point slip away.
Sugiyama, ranked 29th in the world on the WTA Tour, looked like she might let Sunday's third set also slip away as she ran up a 5-1 lead, then blundered through three games in which she won only two points.
But with No. 12 Pierce serving at 4-5 to stay in the match, Sugiyama scored her seventh service break of the 3-hour, 10-minute battle, cashing in her fifth match point when Pierce hit a backhand wide.
"I think she played like a top 10 player today," Pierce said. "She hit some shots I was surprised at. ... I felt I was hitting too short and not moving well enough."
Sugiyama said: "I didn't want to repeat what happened yesterday," when she lost despite holding a match point. "I kept thinking positive. I was aggressive and positive throughout the match. I was supported by all my teammates and the audience, and I was determined to get this match."