BUCHAREST: Andrea Petkovic battled back from surviving two match points against her on Sunday as Germany enjoyed a 4-1 away win over Romania in the Fed Cup World Group play-off.
The 28-year-old showed an iron will after being demolished in the first set, then held her nerve to win the second-set tie-breaker and claim a 0-6, 7-6(7/1), 6-3 win over Monica Niculescu.
After Australian Open winner Angelique Kerber had put the Germans 2-1 up by beating Simona Halep in Sunday's opening singles rubber, Petkovic's victory gave the Germans an unassailable 3-1 lead.
"With these emotions and the support of this team, anything is possible," said an exhausted Petkovic, who needed just over two and a half hours to seal her win.
It was Petkovic's second long match in the space of 24 hours.
Her team-mates Annika Beck and Julia Goerges then finished the job with a 6-7(5/7), 7-6(7/4), 10-7 win over Irina-Camelia Begu and Alexandra Dulgheru in the dead doubles rubber.
It means Germany keep their place in the Fed Cup's top tier after beating the hosts in front of a sell-out crowd of 7,500 at the Sala Polivalenta Arena in Cluj-Napoca.
Kerber says she is back to her best after a dip in form following her Melbourne triumph in January.
"I have found my rhythm again and I am almost at 100 percent," she said, having needed just 67 minutes to blast her way past Halep 6-2, 6-2.
It had finished all square on Saturday as Halep needed just under three hours to secure her 6-4, 6-7 (5/7), 6-4 win over Petkovic after Kerber had beaten Begu.
Germany were in the play-off after their 3-2 defeat at home to Switzerland in February.
Romania are now relegated to the World Group II for 2017 following their second defeat this year after losing 3-2 to the Czech Republic in February.
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