Australia has stuck with Samantha Stosur for its decisive Fed Cup semi-final doubles encounter against Belarus despite her fumbling a chance to seal the tie in a 6-1 6-1 rout at the hands of Victoria Azarenka.

Stosur will partner world No.9 Ashleigh Barty for the first time in the fifth rubber in Brisbane after Barty had earlier put the hosts ahead 2-1.

Barty’s comprehensive 6-2 6-2 defeat of Aryna Sabalenka had edged the hosts ahead 2-1 in Brisbane before Stosur was dominated by former world No.1 Azarenka.

All four will return to court to decide who hosts the final in November, despite Priscilla Hon teaming with Barty earlier this year to get Australia past the United States.

Australia haven’t won the Fed Cup since 1974 or made a final since 1993, with Barty the key as she rides a 13-match unbeaten streak across singles and doubles in the teams event.

Stosur was retained ahead of the higher-ranked Daria Gavrilova by Australian captain Alicia Molik to play the reverse singles after a stoic effort on Saturday against Sabalenka.

But she was never in the hunt against the two-time Australian Open champion she had only beaten once in nine previous encounters.

Azarenka looked at home on a court on which she had twice lifted the Brisbane International trophy, sweating on Stosur’s faltering serve and producing winners from both sides.

Stosur was unable to hold serve in a first set that produced just two unforced errors from the racquet of Azarenka.

The Australian couldn’t slow the Belarusian’s charge in the second set, with a break in the fourth all but confirming the result.

Earlier, Barty staved off Sabalenka’s best efforts to win her second match of the tie on Sunday, surviving early pressure on serve in both sets before steaming clear to underline why she had surged this year into the world’s top 10.