India wrapped up their Davis Cup Asia/Oceania Group 1 clash with Taiwan in the first of yesterday’s reverse singles, as Somdev Devvarman dispatched Lu Yen-hsun 6-1, 6-2, 6-3 to give the visitors a 3-1 lead in the tie and guarantee victory at the Yangming Tennis Center in Kaohsiung.
In the second singles match, Yang Tsung-hua defeated Rohan Bopanna 6-3, 6-7 (6/8), 7-6 (7/5) to make the final score 3-2 and restore a little Taiwanese pride.
India will next face Australia, who overcame the surprise defeat of Lleyton Hewitt to win the deciding match and beat Thailand 3-2 in their clash. The ultimate winner of that tie will go into the World Group playoffs.
PHOTO: SAM YEH, AFP
Hewitt, playing in the fierce mid-day heat, started strongly, but was gradually worn down by the conditions and experienced opponent Danai Udomchoke, who won 2-6, 4-6, 7-6 (7/2), 6-4, 6-1.
That forced a deciding match, in which 18-year-old Thai Kittipong Wachiramanowong fought hard, but was beaten 6-3, 7-5, 7-6 (7/3) by big serving Australian Chris Guccione, who was brought in after being overlooked for Friday’s initial singles.
The other Group 1 winners were Japan — who cruised past China 5-0 — and Uzbekistan, who beat South Korea.
Uzbekistan also progressed after the first of the reverse singles, but it was more of a struggle as Denis Istomin downed Lee Hyung-taik 6-3, 1-6, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3. Uzbekistan will next host a Japan team that had already accounted for China prior to yesterday’s reverse singles.
In Group Two of regional play, New Zealand will host Indonesia in the next round of play-offs after they beat Malaysia and Kuwait respectively. Pakistan will face the Philippines after their respective wins over Oman and Hong Kong.
On Saturday, Argentina and Croatia eased into the Davis Cup quarter-finals, while violent protests outside the venue marred Sweden’s World Group match against Israel.
Spain led Serbia 2-1 on a day when all three matches were played on Saturday after gales wiped out Friday’s play in Benidorm, while Sweden edged ahead of Israel by winning the doubles. The Czech Republic moved 2-1 up on France, Romania trimmed Russia’s lead to 2-1 and Germany won the doubles to open up an advantage over Austria.
Argentina’s Martin Vasallo Arguello and Lucas Arnold beat Jesse Huta Galung and Rogier Wassen 6-4, 7-5, 6-3 in the doubles to open up an unbeatable 3-0 lead in Buenos Aires and guarantee a place in the World Group for the ninth straight year.
After winning both singles on Friday, Croatia’s Mario Ancic and Marin Cilic teamed up in the doubles to beat Chile’s Nicolas Massu and Paul Capdeville 6-3, 6-3, 3-6, 6-4 on home soil in Porec.
After David Ferrer outplayed Novak Djokovic 6-3, 6-3, 7-6 (7/4) on clay at Terra Mitica amusement park, Rafael Nadal dropped only three games against Janko Tipsarevic, breaking his serve seven times and winning 6-1, 6-0, 6-2.
That meant Spain had the rare chance to win the match in one day.
But Nenad Zimonjic and Viktor Troicki hit back with a 7-6 (7/5), 6-4, 7-6 (9/7) doubles victory over Tommy Robredo and Feliciano Lopez.
Sweden edged ahead of Israel 2-1 in a near empty arena in Malmo when Simon Aspelin and Robert Lindstedt beat Andy Ram and Amir Hadad 6-4, 1-6, 7-6 (7/4), 6-4 as police clashed with anti-Israel demonstrators outside.
Only about 300 special guests watched the five-match series at the 4,000-seat Baltic Hall. Malmo officials had closed the venue to the public, citing security risks. The protesters condemned Israel’s recent offensive in Gaza and urged support for Palestinians.
It was the second time a Davis Cup tie was played without fans in Sweden. In 1975, two years after a military coup in Chile led by Augusto Pinochet, Sweden played Chile in an empty stadium.
In other World Group matches, the Czech Republic moved 2-1 up against France in Ostrava when Tomas Berdych and Radek Stepanek beat Richard Gasquet and Michael Llodra 6-3, 1-6, 6-4, 6-2.
But Romania avoided a swift Russian victory at home when Marius Copil and Horia Tecau came from two sets down to upset Marat Safin and Dmitry Tursunov 4-6, 6-7 (2/7), 7-6 (7/4), 7-6 (7/5), 6-4.
After Friday’s singles were split, Germany’s Philipp Kohlschreiber and Nicolas Kiefer put their team 2-1 ahead with a 6-3, 7-6 (8/6), 3-6, 6-4 over Austria’s Julian Knowle and Alexander Peya.
Powerhouse doubles team Bob and Mike Bryan beat Yves Allegro and Stanislas Wawrinka 6-3, 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (7/2) to give the US a 2-1 lead over Switzerland.
The top-ranked Bryans became the most successful US pair with a 15-2 win-loss record, passing John McEnroe and Peter Fleming, and Wilmer Allison and John Van Ryn.
Andy Roddick will try to clinch the tie against Wawrinka in the first reverse singles and send the US on to the quarter-finals against Croatia in July. Mike Bryan went so far as to guarantee Roddick, who has 30 Davis Cup singles wins, will win.
“We call him the closer,” Mike Bryan said. “When we put them up 2-1, he always shuts it down for us. He’s going to bring everything he has tomorrow. And I guarantee he’s going to shut it down tomorrow.”
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