France kept their Davis Cup final hopes alive as Nicolas Mahut and Pierre-Hugues Herbert beat Croatian pair Ivan Dodig and Mate Pavic.

The hosts won 6-4 6-4 3-6 7-6 (7-3) at the Stade Pierre Mauroy.

Yannick Noah’s champions were 2-0 down after losing both of Friday’s singles.

But French Open doubles champions Herbert and Mahut began the fightback, reducing the deficit to 2-1 and ensuring the last Davis Cup in its present guise will stretch into Sunday.

Victory for Croatia would give them their second Davis Cup crown in the final staging of the historic team competition before the format changes next year.

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