Davis Cup qualifiers: Australia and U.S. cruise through, Japan and Denmark stage stunning comebacks
Davis Cup powerhouses Australia and the United States advanced comfortably through the first round of qualifying on Saturday, while Japan and Denmark pulled off dramatic turnarounds. However, Great Britain suffered a shock exit as Japan mounted a thrilling 3-2 comeback.
Australia, second only to the U.S. in Davis Cup titles with 28, dominated Sweden. The doubles duo of Matthew Ebden and John Peers sealed the tie with a 6-7(7) 6-3 6-2 win over Filip Bergevi and Andre Goransson. Singles victories from Alex de Minaur and Aleksandar Vukic had already put the Aussies in control.
The U.S., who led 2-0 against Taiwan after Friday’s singles, wrapped up the tie with Olympic silver medalists Austin Krajicek and Rajeev Ram winning 6-4 7-6(4) against Ray Ho and Wu Tung-lin. Mackenzie McDonald then secured a 4-0 sweep with a 6-2 6-3 victory over Huang Tsung-hao.
"Fortunately we were able to finish the job in the first match. We took care of our serve really well," Krajicek said.
The Americans will now face the Czech Republic in the second round after their 3-0 victory over South Korea.
Tied 1-1 after Friday, Britain appeared on course for victory when Joe Salisbury and Neal Skupski edged out Japan’s Yosuke Watanuki and Takeru Yuzuki 7-6(4) 7-6(3) in doubles.
However, Yoshihito Nishioka leveled the tie with a 6-3 7-6(0) win over Jacob Fearnley, setting the stage for a decisive showdown between Kei Nishikori and Billy Harris. Nishikori, a former world No. 4, rose to the occasion, winning 6-2 6-3 in just 73 minutes to complete Japan’s first-ever Davis Cup win over Britain.
"I had a bad day yesterday. I tried to be more solid and aggressive and stay calm today," said the 35-year-old Nishikori, who avenged Japan’s 2016 defeat to Britain. "Very happy that the team won. This win will give us confidence. Our goal is to get to the main draw (Finals)."
Britain’s captain Leon Smith praised Japan’s depth:
"You've got Nishioka who's been top 25, Nishikori has been number four in the ATP rankings. So there's a lot of quality and we pushed them hard."
Denmark found themselves 2-0 down against Serbia on Friday, but Holger Rune spearheaded a sensational turnaround. After teaming up with Johannes Ingildsen for a crucial doubles victory, Rune defeated Miomir Kecmanovic 6-2 6-4 to level the tie.
The decisive moment came when Elmer Moeller fought back from a set down to beat Hamad Medjedovic 1-6 6-4 6-3, sending Denmark into the next round, where they will face either Spain or Switzerland.
Spain took a commanding 2-0 lead over Switzerland, with Pedro Martinez and Roberto Carballes Baena winning their singles matches.
France also went 2-0 up against Brazil, with Ugo Humbert and Arthur Fils securing straight-set victories.
Croatia, Austria, and Germany all advanced after securing 3-0 victories over Slovakia, Finland, and Israel, respectively.
The first round of Davis Cup qualifiers features 26 nations vying for a spot in the second round this September. Meanwhile, last year’s runners-up, the Netherlands, will enter the competition in the next stage, where seven teams will battle for a place in the Final 8 in November alongside host nation Italy.
SportsLigue