Tennis Davis Cup 2010: Belgium beat Australia to remain in World Group
The Belgian side has won both of the reverse single clashes to retain their spot in the Davis Cup World Group next year, as they brushed aside Australia 3-2 on Monday.
The world number 117, Steve Darcis got the better of his Australian tennis foe, Carsten Ball in a total of three sets. The final match score was 7-6 (7/4), 6-3, 6-4. The match concluded in a time period of two hours and twenty three minutes on Monday. Belgium
claimed victory after trailing behind at 2-1, as a result of their doubles defeat on Saturday.
The stage was all set for the Belgium’s return, when their top-ranked tennis ace, Olivier Rochus hammered down Peter Luczak in a total of four sets. The final match score was 7-6 (10/8), 6-4, 6-7 (0/7), 7-6 (7/2). The match was stretched for a time period
of four and a half hours on Monday.
Luczak, who is ranked number 126 in the world by the Association of tennis professionals, was a replacement for former top-ranked tennis player Lleyton Hewitt, who injured his hand while contesting in the doubles match of the Davis Cup tennis tournament
on Saturday.
The Belgium side was forced into the playoff after a 4-1 home loss to the Czech Republic in the World Group opening round in Bree.
Australia, who has won the Davis Cup title on a total of twenty eight occasions so far, will have to contest in the Asia-Oceania group in the next season again. The Australian team is second only to the Americans in terms of Davis Cup victories.
It was the very first occasion that Australia had lost a Davis Cup tie on the hard surface after a period of six complete years.
The playoff stretched into the fourth day due to rainy conditions that badly disturbed the schedule of play on Sunday and forced the Luczak-Rochus clash to resume on Monday at 4-4 in the opening set.
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