Former world number ones Karolina Pliskova and Simona Halep won their opening matches in the Fed Cup World Group to leave holders the Czech Republic and Romania tied at 1-1.

Czech world number five Pliskova beat Mihaela Buzarnescu 6-1 6-4 before Romanian Halep defeated Katerina Siniakova 6-4 6-0.

Pliskova and world number three Halep meet in the reverse singles on Sunday.

The Czech Republic are seeking an 11th successive appearance in the last four.

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Elsewhere in the other best-of-five top-tier ties, two-time champions France took a 2-0 lead over Belgium following wins for world number 19 Caroline Garcia and Alize Cornet, ranked 51.

Garcia, returning to the French squad for the first time since a public falling-out with her team-mates in 2016, beat Belgium number two Alison van Uytvanck 7-6 (7-2) 4-6 6-2.

“There was a little stress, a little tension,” said French number one Garcia. “But it was the same thing the last time I came back to the team – nothing different, nothing more.”

Cornet saw off Belgian world number 21 Elise Mertens 7-6 (8-6) 6-2 following an 82-minute opening set to pick up her first Fed Cup victory for five years.

Straight-set victories for Aliaksandra Sasnovich and Aryna Sabalenka gave 2017 runners-up Belarus a 2-0 lead over Germany.

Sasnovich defeated Tatjana Maria 7-6 (7-3) 6-3 before world number nine Sabalenka beat Andrea Petkovic 6-2 6-1 in just over an hour.

The winners of that tie will face last year’s runners-up the United States or seven-time champions Australia after the competition’s two most successful nations ended the opening day with a 1-1 draw.

Australian Open quarter-finalist Ashleigh Barty beat American Sofia Kenin 6-1 7-6 (7-2) before world number 17 Madison Keys defeated Kimberly Birrell 6-2 6-2 to pull the US level.