The top-ranked Australian dispatched Quirine Lemoine 6-0, 6-2 in the second singles rubber, after Sam Stosur fell to world No.210 Lesley Kerkhove in the opening match of the day at the WIN Entertainment Centre. 

Barty was impressive in victory, showing no signs of the pressure of playing from behind in a tie Australia entered as overwhelming favourites. 

“At the end of the day, I want to play my best tennis and do the best that I can, but it is only a tennis match,” Barty said. “I’m able to go out there and play with freedom and I know that’s when I’m able to play my best.

Even though there were some pretty stressful situations and it was a pretty big occasion, I feel as though when I’m relaxed and just going out to play my game, that’s when I play my best.”

Barty will return on Sunday to take part in the reverse singles, where she will face Kerkhove, while Daria Gavrilova will come in for Stosur to take on Lemoine. 

Australian captain Alicia Molik revealed the decision to replace Stosur was made prior to Saturday’s loss to ensure she remains fresh for a potentially deciding doubles tie.

“That was always our team plan right from the start, to share the load,” Molik said. “We’ll stick with that, no changes at all.

“I think Dasha can really look forward to tomorrow’s match, one thing I can say about Dasha is I think she really enjoys a do or die situation and she loves that pressure and she loves a dog fight. I have no doubt that she can embrace that situation tomorrow.”

Earlier in the day, Stosur was defeated 7-5, 7-6 by Kerkhove, with the underdog displaying impressive poise to serve herself out of a number of tough situations. 

Playing in her first Fed Cup singles tie, the Dutchwoman entered the match a sizable underdog and it’s a status she revelled in.

“It’s an amazing feeling,” Kerkhove said. “It’s my first time in singles in Fed Cup, so it’s an amazing feeling.

“I said before the match, I have to play aggressive, that’s my game. I think it’s also the game to defeat Sam. She’s a great player, a great defender, I just tried to play aggressively on every point.

“We are definitely underdogs and I think it’s nice to play as underdogs in this match. I didn’t play with pressure, I just didn’t think and just played.”

Stosur struggled with consistency throughout the match, dominating for periods and struggling at other times. 

After Kerkhove broke Stosur in the opening game of the match, Stosur won four straight games to take a 4-1 lead. However, the tables flipped very quickly, with Stosur dropping four straight games to allow Kerkhove back into the set. Kerkhove survived some nervy moments late in the set, to ultimately serve it out seven games to five.

“It was tough,” Stosur said.  “She played a pretty good match. The first set I didn’t serve well enough. I got that break and was 4-1 up, so to lose another two service games in a row, I feel like my percentage dropped and that gave her some pretty good hits at my second serve.

“There were points in time where I was playing really well and executing well, and then other times where it wasn’t quite working for me. I guess still that level being good enough more of the time is something that I need to keep trying to strive for.”

If the opening set was a fluctuating battle in which both players dominated for periods, the second set was a much more even affair. 

After there were seven breaks in the first set, neither woman managed to break their rival’s serve in the second set. With Stosur elevating her performance, especially her serve, Kerkhove lifted with her. 

Kerkhove was able to get ahead in the points and then dictate the play, moving Stosur around the court and forcing the Australian onto the back foot. 

Despite her low ranking, Kerkhove performed in the pressure moments, delivering two impressive service games when forced to serve to remain in the set. 

“Those two games at 5-4 and 6-5 in the second set when she was serving to stay in the set, she played those exceptionally well,” Stosur said.

“She started going back in behind me a lot more as the second set went along and then she kept me off balance and not really too sure what way she would go.”

The tiebreaker was over almost before it began, with Stosur winning the opening point before Kerkhove reeled off seven straight points to secure the match.