China defeats RI 4-1
China defeats RI 4-1
Agencies, Beijing
Yu Xinyuan beat Suwandi in the reverse singles on Sunday to lift China to a 4-1 win over Indonesia in their Davis Cup Asia- Oceania Group I playoff.
Yu won the three-set dead rubber 7-6 (4), 6-3 at the Tianjin Tennis Center in the eastern Chinese city of Tianjin. His teammate Lu Hao forfeited his singles match against Prima Simpatiaji because of injury.
China's victory was already assured before Sunday's action, having already won Saturday's doubles match and Friday's two singles contests.
In doubles, Wang Yu and Yu Xinyuan defeated Suwandi and Bonit Wiryawan 6-3, 7-6 (4), 7-6 (2).
Earlier, Sun Peng and Wang Yu romped to straight-set wins on Friday.
Indonesia will now play Thailand - which lost to Japan this weekend - in a 3rd round playoff in September to avoid relegation to Group II.
In Osaka, Japan, Takao Suzuki pulled off a shock win over Asian number one Paradorn Srichapan on Sunday to lead Japan to a 4-1 victory over Thailand.
Suzuki, ranked 169th against Paradorn's 43rd, broke the Thai ace twice in the opening set and once again in both the second and third for a surprisingly straightforward 6-2, 6-4, 6-4 win, giving Japan an insurmountable 3-1 lead.
Substitute player Go Soeda eased past Sonchat Ratiwatana 6-3, 6-3 in the shortened dead rubber to make it 4-1 in the best-of- five contest.
Suzuki won all three of his matches here, ensuring victory for Japan in the best-of-five contest and securing their place in Group I next season. Thailand now face a relegation battle against either Indonesia or China.
On Friday, Suzuki saved three match points at 4-5 in the fourth set before edging past Danai Udomchoke 6-7 (5/7), 6-4, 1- 6, 7-5, 6-4 in the opening match.
On Saturday he teamed up with Satoshi Iwabuchi in the doubles to beat twin brothers Sonchat Ratiwatana and Sanchai Ratiwatana 6-3, 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (7/3) at the Osaka Namihaya Dome.
The victory was sweet revenge for the Japanese, who lost to Thailand 1-4 in 2002 in their previous encounter with the same players in Bangkok. They now have five wins and one defeat against Thailand.