Wesley Koolhof and Matwe Middelkoop delivered for The Netherlands on Tuesday in Split, where they earned a decisive Group D Davis Cup Final Group Stage doubles win against Finland’s Harri Heliovaara and Patrik Niklas-Salminen 6-4, 6-7(5), 6-3.
The Dutchmen did not face a break point in the two-hour, seven-minute clash, sealing a 2-1 win for their nation. The Netherlands is aiming to reach the quarter-finals for only the second time since 2005.
Earlier, Otto Virtanen had given Finland a 1-0 lead after he downed Botic van de Zandschulp 7-6(0), 6-4 in one hour and 38 minutes. The World No. 125 has now won four of the eight Davis Cup singles matches he has played.
Tallon Griekspoor then levelled the tie, defeating Finn Emil Ruusuvuori 7-6(7), 6-3 in one hour and 46 minutes. World No. 24 Griekspoor saved one set point in the first set at 6/7. He then broke twice in the second set to triumph.
Chile Defeat Sweden
Chile also moved to 1-0 in Davis Cup Finals Group Stage action.
Cristian Garin clawed past Leo Borg 7-6(6), 3-6, 7-5 in the first match of the day in Bologna to give Chile a lead in its Group A tie against Sweden.
Garin, who made his Davis Cup debut aged 16 in 2012, battled hard in the two-hour, 36-minute clash. He fired 17 aces and won 78 per cent (62/79) of his first-serve points to defeat debutant Borg.
World No. 22 Nicolas Jarry then sealed victory for Chile with a 6-2, 6-4 triumph against Elias Ymer. Jarry has enjoyed a career-best season on the ATP Tour, lifting trophies in Santiago and Geneva. Tomas Barrios Vera and Alejandro Tabilo sealed a 3-0 win for Chile, defeating Filip Bergevi and Andre Goransson 6-4, 7-5.
This week 16 countries are competing in the Davis Cup Finals Group Stage from Tuesday through Sunday in the hopes of reaching the Final 8 in November in Malaga.
The countries will compete across four groups in four cities — Group A in Bologna, Group B in Manchester, Group C in Valencia and Group D in Split — with the top two countries per group to qualify for the knockout stage in two months.
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