Australia’s Jordan Thompson and John Peers have sealed Australia’s spot at the Davis Cup finals in Madrid following a 7-5, 6-1 win over Mirza Basic and Tomislav Brkic from Bosnia and Herzegovina.
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Photo: ohn Peers and Jordan Thompson of Australia celebrate in their rubber 3 doubles match against Mirza Basic and Tomislav Brkic of Bosnia / Herzegovina during the Davis Cup Qualifiers between Australia vs Bosnia and Herzegovina at Memorial Drive, Adelaide on February 02, 2019 in Adelaide, Australia. (Photo by Scott Barbour/Getty Images)
The win gave Australia a 3-0 lead in the best of five qualification tie for the inaugural 18-nation Finals in Madrid in November.
The doubles match was the first on day two in the new format for the Davis Cup. On day one John Millman and Alex de Minaur had secured wins in the singles matches.
The heat was more of a factor on day two as the temperature climbed into the mid-30s at Memorial Drive in Adelaide.
“It is a great feeling playing for your country – and having the name of your country on your back, there’s no greater feeling,’’ said Thompson, after serving out the match in 70 minutes, although what was finished in rather emphatic fashion was more of a contest early on.
“Davis Cup, there’s no easy matches, singles or doubles, and you could tell with the first set of doubles today how tight it was,’’ said captain Lleyton Hewitt. “I had full faith in these guys, but you just never know in Davis Cup, so thankfully we’re through.’
The Australians earned plenty of break points on the serve of Brkic but they failed to convert seven opportunities in the fourth, eighth and 12th games before an error from Basic as he volleyed game the first set to the Australians in 48 minutes.
In the second set, it was again Brkic that failed to hold serve as the Australians jumped out to a 3-1 lead. From there it was all Australia with last weeks Australian Open finalist (with Henri Kontinen from Finland) serving impressively.
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Photo: Alex de Minaur, John Millman, Jordan Thompson, John Peers, Alexei Popyrin, captain Lleyton Hewitt of Australia and their teammates spray Gatorade as they celebrate after winning the Davis Cup Qualifiers between Australia vs Bosnia and Herzegovina at Memorial Drive, Adelaide on February 02, 2019 in Adelaide, Australia. (Photo by Scott Barbour/Getty Images)
Alexei Popyrin was given a chance to claim his first Davis Cup win when he took on unranked Nerman Fatic. Both players were substituted for their country’s top-ranked players.
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Photo: Alexei Popyrin of Australia serves during his rubber 4 singles match against Nerman Fatic of Bosnia / Herzegovina during the Davis Cup Qualifiers between Australia vs Bosnia and Herzegovina at Memorial Drive, Adelaide on February 02, 2019 in Adelaide, Australia. (Photo by Scott Barbour/Getty Images)
Fatic has had a career-high ATP ranking of 428 but dropped off the rankings following changes applied from December 31, 2018.
Popyrin’s big game was too much for Fatic to handle in the first set however the Australian started making too many unforced errors in the second set and let his opponent back in the match. In the end it was Popyrin that claimed his first Davis Cup victory taking the match 6-1, 7-6(2).
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