Italy kept their hopes of playing in the Davis Cup World Group next season alive with a victory over Switzerland in the doubles in Genoa on Saturday.
Simone Bolelli and Potito Starace beat Marco Chiudinelli and Stanislas Wawrinka 6-2, 6-4, 7-6 (7/3) to reduce their deficit in matches to 2-1.
Switzerland had won both the opening singles in straight sets on Friday but rested Roger Federer for the doubles.
Meanwhile, Britain were facing relegation to Group Two of the Euro/Africa Davis Cup zone despite the presence of world No. 3 Andy Murray on their team after Poland won Saturday’s doubles to take a 2-1 lead in their playoff match in Liverpool.
Murray partnered Ross Hutchins despite aggravating a wrist injury in his singles victory on Friday but the duo were still beaten 7-5, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 by experienced Polish pair Mariusz Fyrstenberg and Marcin Matkowski
Britain needed Murray and Dan Evans to win both reverse singles yesterday, assuming Murray was fit enough to play, to avoid dropping below Euro/Africa zone Group One for the first time in 13 years.
China won both Davis Cup reverse singles matches yesterday to beat Thailand 4-1 and retain its place in Asia/Oceania Group I.
China saw off a match point in the doubles on Saturday, coming from two sets down to win and take a 2-1 lead.
In yesterday’s opener, Zeng Shaoxuan beat Thai No.1 Danai Udomchoke 2-6, 6-4, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 to secure the tie in China’s favor.
China’s Gong Maoxin defeated Kittiphong Wachiramanowong 7-5, 3-6, 6-3 in the remaining match in Jiaxing.
Thailand are relegated to Group II for next year, replaced by the Philippines, who were promoted with a 4-1 win over New Zealand.
Taiwan’s top women’s badminton doubles duo, Hsieh Pei-shan (謝沛珊) and Hung En-tzu (洪恩慈), achieved a straight-sets victory over Japan’s Kaho Osawa and Mayui Tanabe at the Badminton World Federation (BWF) Super 300 Macau Open on Sunday. The Taiwanese pair won the final 21-18, 21-12, marking the duo’s second title this year after their win at the BWF Super 300 Taipei Open in May. The match on Sunday was their first encounter with the Japanese duo, ranked No. 63 in the world. Hsieh and Hung, ranked No. 12, began the opening game well. Hung, who plays left-handed, performed strongly at both the net and the
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Jobe Bellingham on Tuesday admitted to having “anxieties” on following in brother Jude’s footsteps after joining Borussia Dortmund in the summer. Jobe Bellingham, 19, is two years younger than Jude Bellingham, who joined Real Madrid in 2023 after three years at Dortmund. A centerpiece of the England national team, Jude Bellingham has emerged as one of the best players in the world in recent seasons. The younger Jobe Bellingham joined Dortmund in June from Sunderland after their promotion to the English Premier League. He admitted he understood what the perception would be ahead of the move to Germany. “It’s something you do think about.
Before Tuesday’s 7-2 win at the Atlanta Braves, Milwaukee Brewers manager Pat Murphy suggested “most people couldn’t tell you five players on our team.” A look at the standings would indicate more Brewers players soon will be recognized by more fans. After all, it is difficult to overlook a team that not only continues to extend their lead in the National League Central, but also boasts the best record in the majors. “What we’re doing in here right now is special,” right-handed pitcher Freddy Peralta said after allowing only four hits and one run in five innings, while setting a career high with
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