KAZAKHSTAN 3, ARGENTINA 2
Astana, Kazakhstan (Indoor clay)
Kazakhstan pulled off a major upset on Sunday, defeating defending Davis Cup champions Argentina 3-2. Mikhail Kukushkin, who boasts a 21-13 record in singles for Kazakhstan, sealed victory for his team in a tight 6-4, 6-4, 7-6(2) triumph over Argentina’s Diego Schwartzman in front of a boisterous home crowd at Astana’s National Tennis Centre. Kazakhstan handed Argentina a walkover in the tie’s final dead rubber.
Argentina, which was without recent US Open semi-finalist Juan Martin del Potro, will be relegated to Group I of the Americas Zone in 2018.
COLOMBIA 1, CROATIA 3
Bogota, Colombia (Outdoor clay)
Earning his third point of the tie, Marin Cilic led Croatia back into the Davis Cup World Group with an emphatic 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 win over Santiago Giraldo of Colombia. Cilic’s singles victory makes him Croatia’s all-time singles match-wins leader with 24 victories, eclipsing the record previously held by Ivan Ljubicic. Ljubicic was part of the Croatian team that lifted the Davis Cup trophy in 2005; and next season Cilic will look to take Croatia one step further than its runner-up finish to Great Britain in 2016.
SWITZERLAND 3, BELARUS 2
Biel, Switzerland (Indoor hard)
2014 Davis Cup champions Switzerland secured its place back in the World Group as a result of a spirited effort in their singles rubbers. Trailing Belarus 1-2 going into Sunday’s play, Henri Laaksonen kept Switzerland alive with a 6-2, 6-2, 5-7, 6-2 win over Dzmitry Zhyrmont. Veteran Marco Chiudinelli sealed victory for the home team by beating Yaraslav Shyla 6-4, 6-3, 6-4, hitting 23 winners to 22 unforced errors. Despite the absences of Roger Federer and Stan Wawrinka, Chiudinelli and Laaksonen’s wins secured a spot for Switzerland in the Davis Cup World Group for the seventh straight year.
NETHERLANDS 3, CZECH REPUBLIC 2
The Hague, Netherlands (Indoor clay)
Host country Netherlands pulled of an impressive comeback over three-time Davis Cup champions Czech Republic, relegating the Czechs to the zonal ties for just the second time in its Davis Cup history. Robin Haase, who has recently enjoyed a successful North American summer, levelled the tie with a 6-1, 1-6, 6-3, 6-4 win over Jiri Vesely. Former Top 40 player Thiemo de Bakker, now ranked No. 408 in the Emirates ATP Rankings following a lengthy injury layoff, completed the unlikely victory for the Dutch in a 3-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 decision over Lukas Rosol.
PORTUGAL 2, GERMANY 3
Lisbon, Portugal (Outdoor clay)
Led by Jan-Lennard Struff in Sunday’s play, Germany closed out hosts Portugal at the scenic Club de Ténis do Jamor in Lisboa. Struff fought off an inspired performance by Joao Sousa, saving a match point in the fourth set tie-break to win 6-0, 6-7(3), 3-6, 7-6(8), 6-4 in just over three hours. Germany will look to its deep pool of talent, including brothers Alexander Zverev and Mischa Zverev, to take it to another Davis Cup championship in 2018, having previously won the title in 1988, 1989 and 1993.
JAPAN 2, BRAZIL 0
Osaka, Japan (Outdoor hard)
Play was once again delayed in Japan’s home tie against Brazil, with extreme rain washing out any possibility of a Sunday finish. With play to resume Monday, Japan’s two singles victories by Yuichi Sugita and Go Soeda have put the host nation in prime position to earn a berth in the Davis Cup World Group in 2018.
HUNGARY 3, RUSSIA 1
Budapest, Hungary (Outdoor clay)
Marton Fucsovics was a hero once again in Budapest, winning his third rubber of the tie to put Hungary into the World Group over Russia’s team of #NextGenATP players. Fucsovics, a former Wimbledon boys’ singles champion and currently ranked at No. 113 in the Emirates ATP Rankings, blasted 34 winners past #NextGenATP Karen Khachanov en route to a 7-5, 6-4, 6-4 triumph.
CANADA 3, INDIA 1
Edmonton, Canada (Indoor hard)
#NextGenATP Denis Shapovalov continued his recent run of form as he clinched the World Group Playoff tie for Canada in straight sets over India's Ramkumar Ramanathan, 6-3, 7-6(1), 6-3. The 18-year-old Canadian, who earlier this season defeated World No.1 Rafael Nadal in Montreal en route to becoming the youngest Masters 1000 semi-finalist ever, saved triple set point in the second set before raising his level in the tie-break and ultimately closing out his serve-and-volleying opponent. Canada will compete in the World Group for the 10th time in 2018, their 7th straight appearance.