France stayed alive against Germany in their Davis Cup quarter-final on Saturday when Michael Llodra and Julien Benneteau beat Tobias Kamke and Andre Begemann 6-1, 7-6 (7/5), 4-6, 7-5 in the doubles.
Germany had shrugged off the absence of their top six players to take a shock 2-0 lead on Friday.
Benneteau slumped to a 7-6 (10/8), 6-3, 6-2 loss to world number 96 Kamke in the day’s opening rubber.
Then world number 12 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga squandered a match point to lose 5-7, 7-6 (7/3), 3-6, 7-6 (10/8), 8-6 to Peter Gojowczyk, the world 119.
The eventual winners of the tie will face defending champions Czech Republic in the semi-finals.