France will meet the United States in tomorrow’s final of the Hopman Cup after defeating top seeds Switzerland at Perth Arena in Australia to top Group A ©Getty Images

France will meet the United States in tomorrow’s final of the Hopman Cup after defeating top seeds Switzerland at Perth Arena in Australia to top Group A.

With both teams winning their previous two group matches, the tie was a winner-takes-all contest.

After splitting the singles matches, France made light work of the Fast4 mixed doubles with Richard Gasquet and Kristina Mladenovic beating Roger Federer and Belinda Bencic 4-2, 4-2 in 34 minutes.

Seventeen-time Grand Slam champion Federer had earlier registered 11 aces in an impressive performance to defeat world number 18 Gasquet 6-1, 6-4 in 56 minutes.

Mladenovic, ranked 42nd in the world, brought France back on level terms after overcoming world number 43 Belinda Bencic 6-4, 2-6, 6-3 in the women’s singles clash.

Despite the eventual defeat in the tie, former world number one Federer, who is returning to action after a six-month lay-off due to a knee injury, said he was pleased with how he has been played in the competition.

"It’s the third match into the year so I am starting to feel the ball better and better and I am just moving around the court better, so I am really pleased," the 35-year-old said. 

"I don’t know if today was my best [singles] match, or yesterday, but you have to be able to handle different opponents and I am happy with where my level is at.

"I was uncertain (coming into the week); I didn’t know how it was going to go.

"I am very pleased that it is already going so well."

Alexander Zverev helped Germany to victory over Great Britain ©Getty Images
Alexander Zverev helped Germany to victory over Great Britain ©Getty Images

France will be aiming to deny the US, who went undefeated on their way to topping Group B, a record seventh Hopman Cup title when they meet in tomorrow’s final.

The US are being represented in Perth by Coco Vandeweghe and Jack Sock.

Today’s other Group A match saw Germany end their campaign on a positive note, edging out Great Britain 2-1 after prevailing in the deciding Fast4 mixed doubles.

Heather Watson gave Britain a perfect start with a 6-2, 7-6 win over Andrea Petkovic, but Alexander Zverev levelled the tie at 1-1 with a 6-4, 6-3 defeat of Dan Evans in 82 minutes.

Germany then won the mixed doubles 4-2, 4-2 to ensure their first and only victory of the event.

"We finally got a win," Zverev, the world number 24, said.

"If we had played mixed doubles like we did today, we maybe would have gotten more than one win. 

"We were always tired after the singles.

"So it just shows we both played well in the singles.

"But the mixed doubles was new for us."