SCHWECHAT, Austria (AP)—Jeremy Chardy rallied to beat Martin Fischer 2-6, 7-6 (4), 6-3, 6-3 in the decisive match Sunday to give France a 3-2 win over Austria to reach the quarterfinals of the Davis Cup.
The 2010 finalist and nine-time champion will play Germany, which defeated Croatia 3-2.
“I was very nervous,” said Chardy, referring to a string of unforced errors in the first two sets. “But (captain) Guy (Forget) just told me to take my time and breathe, and I started to play better.”
Chardy prevented France from a first loss in a Davis Cup series after being 2-0 up.
France won both opening singles Friday but lost the doubles match the following day for the first time in two years.
Earlier, Jurgen Melzer defeated Gilles Simon 7-6 (7), 3-6, 1-6, 6-4, 6-0 for Austria to draw level at 2-2.
The 55th-ranked Chardy had not won a set this year coming into the series, with his latest win on the ATP circuit dating back to October 2010.
He first upset Austria’s top player, Melzer, in straight sets in the opening singles, and stayed calm when he dropped a set behind against Fischer.
Chardy got his first call-up for the team as a replacement for Richard Gasquet, who pulled out with a shoulder injury a week ago.
France was also missing its highest-ranked players Gael Monfils (hand) and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (groin) because of injury.
Melzer kept the hopes of the 5,000-capacity home crowd in an aircraft hangar alive by escaping defeat against Simon.
The Frenchman was 2-1 and a break in the fourth set up before he lost control of the match.
Melzer called it “my biggest win ever in the Davis Cup.”
Austria will have to play a play-off tie in September. The team has not been past the first round of the World Group since 1995.
“We’re obviously disappointed to lose,” Austria captain Gilbert Schaller said. “But we showed a strong performance und we could still annoy the French after going 2-0 down. They thought on Friday it was going to be an easy game for them.”