Nadal Helps Power Spain To World Group Return

The wait is over. Marc Lopez and Rafael Nadal secured Spain’s return to the Davis Cup World Group after a two-year hiatus, giving the European nation an unassailable 3-0 lead over India on Saturday in New Delhi. Lopez and Nadal prevailed 4-6, 7-6(2), 6-4, 6-4 over Saketh Myneni and Leander Paes, converting five of 12 break chances for the win after three hours and 23 minutes. It was a team effort for the Spanish side, which capitalised on singles victories by stalwarts Feliciano Lopez and David Ferrer on Friday. The win denies Paes’ bid to become the all-time winningest doubles player in Davis Cup history. The 43 year old is tied with Nicola Pietrangeli with 42 wins.

“For us, it was a very important after two years being away from the World Group,” said Nadal. “It’s important for us to come back to where we think we have to be. But the Indian team is a great team and I want to say many thanks to all the fans here in India. For me, it is a very special country and it is a place that is very close to my heart.”

Kei Nishikori and Yuichi Sugita turned in a dominant performance to keep Japan afloat in the World Group, downing Ukraine’s Artem Smirnov and Sergiy Stakhovsky 6-3, 6-0, 6-3 on Saturday. The efficient one-hour and 38-minute victory in Osaka gave the Japanese side an insurmountable 3-0 lead, as they maintain their three-year stay in the World Group. The win comes on the heels of singles victories by Taro Daniel and #NextGen star Yoshihito Nishioka on Friday.

Australia also returned to the World Group with an unassailable 3-0 lead of their own, as the duo of Sam Groth and John Peers overcame Slovakia’s Andrej Martin and Igor Zelenay 6-4, 6-2, 6-7(3), 7-6(2) on Saturday on the grass of Sydney. The Aussies fired 17 aces to prevail after two hours and 21 minutes. The Lleyton Hewitt led squad is back in the World Group for the third straight year.

In Ostend, Belgium, Ruben Bemelmans and Joris De Loore provided the upset of the day in stunning Brazilian doubles stalwarts Marcelo Melo and Bruno Soares in five gripping sets. The Belgians move on to the World Group with a 3-0 lead after Bemelmans and De Loore rallied for a 3-6, 7-6(5), 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 victory in three hours and 22 minutes. Melo and Soares had a combined 25 doubles wins in Davis Cup play entering the week, compared to just five for their Belgian opponents. Meanwhile, Canada joined Australia, Belgium, Japan and Spain in the 2017 World Group after Vasek Pospisil and Adil Shamasdin defeated Chile’s Nicolas Jarry and Hans Podlipnik-Castillo 6-3, 6-4, 7-6(6).

Having won both singles rubbers on Friday, Germany were one set from a World Group return after Daniel Brands and Daniel Masur took a 7-6(5), 6-4 lead on Saturday, but Poland would stave off relegation in dramatic fashion. Lukasz Kubot and Marcin Matkowski stormed back to take the match 6-7(5), 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 in Berlin, extending the tie. World Group newcomers Poland will turn to Kamil Majchrzak and Hubert Hurkacz in Sunday’s reverse singles. Germany, meanwhile, are looking to extend its stay in the top tier to 12 years.

No Roger Federer and Stan Wawrinka, no problem for Switzerland, as the European nation moved one step closer to returning to the World Group for a sixth straight year. Severin Luthi’s side took a 2-1 lead over Uzbekistan on Saturday, as Adrien Bossel and Henri Laaksonen downed Farrukh Dustov and Denis Istomin 6-4, 6-2, 7-6(2) in two hours and 18 minutes. The Swiss saved all five break points faced to edge ahead in Tashkent.

It will be a busy Sunday at the National Tennis Center in Moscow, after rain washed out singles play on Friday and bad light halted proceedings on Saturday between Russia and Kazakhstan. Andrey Kuznetsov gave the hosts the lead with a 6-3, 6-4, 5-7, 7-5 win over Aleksandr Nedovyesov, but the second singles rubber was suspended due to darkness prior to the fifth set. Evgeny Donskoy and Mikhail Kukushkin are tied at two sets apiece after three hours and 22 minutes.