Tallon Griekspoor took the Netherlands to the brink of the Davis Cup Final 8 in dramatic circumstances on Thursday in Split, where he downed Frances Tiafoe 6-3, 6-7(7), 7-6(3) to secure an upset win for his nation against the United States.
After Botic van de Zandschulp had eased past Tommy Paul 7-6(2), 6-2 to give the Netherlands an early lead in the Group D tie, Griekspoor avenged his loss to Tiafoe in Cincinnati last month with an inspired display against the World No. 11. The Dutchman let slip a match point at 5-4 in the deciding set but held his nerve impressively to claim a tie-break which ended when Tiafoe was given a point penalty for a code violation on match point.
“I just believed in myself,” said Griekspoor. “I stayed calm, still went after my shots like I did the whole match. That’s what paid off in the end, I think. I played a really good tie-break until 6/2, just kept going after it and kept believing and that’s what got me through in the end.”
🇳🇱 @Griekii seals the tie for the Netherlands! 👏@DavisCup | #DavisCup | @KNLTB pic.twitter.com/TsuiIQeKAF
— ATP Tour (@atptour) September 14, 2023
It was a second singles win of the week for Griekspoor, who defeated Finland’s Emil Ruusuvuori on Tuesday. The Netherlands has now won both its ties in Group D but will still have to wait until its final clash against host Croatia to confirm its spot in the Final 8 for the second consecutive year. Later on Thursday, Austin Krajicek and Rajeev Ram prevented Wesley Koolhof and Matwe Middelkoop from boosting the Netherland’s position in the group further by clinching a 6-7(5), 7-6(3), 6-3 doubles victory.
Canada Surge Continues In Bologna
Vasek Pospisil and Gabriel Diallo maintained Canada’s perfect start in Group A with a singles victory apiece against Sweden to move the defending champion to the brink of the Final 8.
Pospisil overcame Leo Borg 7-6(5), 5-7, 6-2 to set the North Americans on course in Bologna, before Gabriel Diallo notched his second win of the week with a 6-4, 6-3 triumph against Elias Ymer. It marked a first victory for Canada in three Davis Cup meetings with seven-time winner Sweden.
Diallo’s triumph against Ymer was another impressive result for the World No. 158, who defeated Lorenzo Sonego for his first Davis Cup match win on Wednesday. The 21-year-old backed up that result up by converting three of his six break points against Ymer to secure Canada’s fifth straight rubber of the week. Alexis Galarneau and Pospisil later made that six with a 7-6(9), 7-6(3) doubles victory against Filip Bergevi and Andre Goransson to complete a 3-0 sweep.
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