China yesterday wrapped up a fourth straight Davis Cup victory over Taiwan in Kaohsiung, taking an unassailable 3-0 lead in the best-of-five Asia/Oceania Group I tie at the Yang-Ming Tennis Center after winning the doubles rubber.
The visitors’ Wu Di and Zhang Zhizhen defeated Taiwan’s Jason Jung and Peng Hsien-yin 7-6 (7/4), 6-4, 6-3 in 1 hour, 56 minutes.
The Chinese duo fired down six aces and converted two of five break points, while the Taiwanese failed to convert either of the two break points they created as Wu and Zhang won 106 of the 205 points contested.
That gave China a 3-0 lead after Li Zhe beat Chen Ti 5-7, 7-5, 6-2, 6-7 (6/8), 7-5 in the first singles rubber on Friday, before Jung retired in the second when trailing Wu Yibing 6-1, 4-6, 5-7, 7-6 (11/9), 4-1.
The victory improved China’s record against Taiwan to 4-2 after victories in 2011, 2012 and 2013.
Taiwan’s only wins were in 2003 and 2007.
China next face Kazakhstan in an Asia/Oceania Group I promotion playoff on April 7-9.
Taiwan next face the losers of the first-round playoff between South Korea and New Zealand, also to be played on April 7-9.
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