Germany came from behind to beat Serbia 3-2 in their Fed Cup playoff Sunday and qualify for next season's top-tier World group competition.
Sabine Lisicki and Anna-Lena Groenefeld clinched the best-of-five series by winning the decisive doubles 6-2, 6-4 against Vesna Dolonc and Aleksandra Krunic.
Mona Barthel began the comeback by defeating Bojana Jovanovski to pull Germany level at 2-2.
Barthel had to win to keep Germany in the best-of-five series after Ana Ivanovic had given Serbia a 2-1 lead by beating Angelique Kerber 7-5, 7-5.
Barthel won 6-1, 3-6, 6-3, after saving three break points in the third set and then breaking serve for a 5-3 lead. She served out the match with an ace.
Ivanovic won both her singles matches. She trailed 3-1 in the first set but rallied despite facing 11 break points. Kerber saved three match points before sending a forehand long to lose the match.
Serbia was last season's runner-up.
