Caroline Garcia returns to French Fed Cup squad after two-year absence caused by falling out with Kristina Mladenovic

Paris: Caroline Garcia, France’s highest-ranked player, has been called up for next week’s Fed Cup tie against Belgium after a two-year absence from the competition. [caption id=“attachment_5986291” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Caroline Garcia in action at the Australian Open. Reuters[/caption] World number 19 Garcia was selected on Tuesday alongside Kristina Mladenovic and Alize Cornet, two players with whom she fell out after withdrawing from Fed Cup duty at the start of 2017. After severing her successful doubles relationship with Mladenovic, Garcia pulled out of a subsequent Fed Cup tie despite having stated she did not want to play in the event that year. “It’s inconceivable to me to not pick her, as the best French player… I wanted to select the best team possible,” said coach Julien Benneteau, the successor to Yannick Noah as Fed Cup captain. Garcia last played in the competition in 2016 when France lost the final 3-2 to the Czech Republic in Strasbourg after she and Mladenovic were beaten in the decisive doubles rubber. However, Benneteau was unable to guarantee that Garcia would definitely return for the quarter-final tie with Belgium in Liege on 9 and 10 February. “She knows she’s selected and is assured the girls, the other players, are waiting for her return and that the staff will do everything to make her feel good,” he said. The France team also includes Pauline Parmentier and Fiona Ferro.