AFP Photo / Jack Guez
Israel finishes off Russia in Davis Cup
Published 11 July, 2009, 20:21
Russia was unable to salvage its Davis Cup quarterfinals against Israel, losing a doubles match on Saturday to go down 3-0 down in the series.
Marat Safin, who was dropped from the singles bracket due to lack of form, teamed up with Igor Kunitsyn for the doubles match to help his team, which was trailing 0-2 after Friday’s games.
Andy Ram and Jonathan Erlich, supported by the Tel Aviv crowd, appeared to be too strong for the Russian duo from the beginning. The hosts got a break point in the 8th game of the opener to take the set 6-3. And they continued the same way in the second set, winning 6-4.
The Israeli pair was close to finishing the deal off in the third, but Safin and Kunitsyn launched a dramatic comeback to take the set on tie-break. After that the Russians took advantage of the Israelis’ confusion and leveled the score at 2-all after four sets.
But Ram and Erlich pulled themselves together in the decider, breaking their rivals in the end of the set, 6-3, 6-4, 6-7, 4-6, 6-4 for Israel.
Israel’s 3-0 advantage means it will progress to the semis regardless of the results of the two singles scheduled on Sunday.
Russia, on the other hand, will have to wait another year to make another go at repeating its Davis Cup triumphs in 2002 and 2006.
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