Germany and Switzerland Survive, Russia Rolls In World Group Play-offs
Germany and Switzerland Survive, Russia Rolls In World Group Play-offs
Russia will end four-year World Group drought next year
Germany, Switzerland and Russia all secured Davis Cup World Group status in 2017 with wins on Sunday.
Jan-Lennard Struff led the Germans and stopped Poland from erasing a 0-2 deficit. The 26-year-old Struff won the decisive rubber – his second win of the weekend – 7-6(4), 6-4, 6-1 against Hubert Hurkacz to give Germany a 3-2 victory. Poland had won the doubles match and tied the contest when Kamil Majchrzak upset veteran Florian Mayer 6-2, 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 to start Sunday’s play. “To give Germany a 3-2 victory, it means a lot to me,” Struff said. “It’s definitely one of the biggest matches for me so far.”
The Swiss, without Roger Federer and Stan Wawrinka, still defeated Uzbekistan 3-2 in Tashkent. Former World No. 33 Denis Istomin of Uzbekistan beat Henri Laaksonen 6-7(3), 7-6(6), 7-6(6), 7-5 to force a fifth rubber. In the deciding match, 20 year old Antoine Bellier, playing in his second tie, stepped up with a 6-2, 6-4, 6-7(6), 6-3 victory against Jurabeck Karimov. “It’s close to a dream,” said Bellier, No. 507 in the Emirates ATP Rankings. “I’m glad and I’m proud.”
Konstantin Kravchuk, Andrey Rublev and Andrey Kuznetsov made sure Russia didn’t need a fifth and deciding rubber with wins on Sunday against Kazakhstan. Kravchuk/Rublev won the rain-delayed doubles 6-3, 6-7(3), 6-2, 7-5, and Kuznetsov, No. 47 in the Emirates ATP Rankings, dismissed Mikhail Kukushkin 6-1, 6-2, 6-2. Kukushkin was playing in his second singles match of the day after playing the fifth set of his 6-7(7), 6-2, 4-6, 6-2, 6-2 win against Evgeny Donskoy on Sunday as well.
The Kukushkin vs. Donskoy rubber was suspended due to darkness after four sets on Saturday. The Russians will return to the World Group for the first time since 2012.
“It’s a very good day today. The guys won doubles, which was very good. That helped me a lot, physically and mentally,” Kuznetsov said. “The whole team is really happy about it, and we’re looking forward to playing in the World Group next year.”
Australia, Belgium, Canada, Japan and Spain advanced to World Group play on Saturday.