Lleyton Hewitt’s Davis Cup heroics were not enough to save Australia from crashing out of the tournament when they slumped to a 3-2 defeat against Belgium.
The 28-time champions slump 2-3 to Belgium
PARIS: Lleyton Hewitt’s Davis Cup heroics were not enough to save Australia, the 28-time champions, from crashing out of the 2007 tournament when they slumped to a 3-2 first-round defeat against Belgium.
Hewitt won a marathon five-set, opening reverse singles against Olivier Rochus 6-2, 6-3, 6-7(4), 3-6, 6-1 to leave the World Group tie finely poised at 2-2 on clay. But his unheralded teammate Chris Guccione, the world number 107, was then completely outplayed by Krist of Vliegen who won 6-4, 6-4, 6-4. Belgium now go on to face Germany, who put out 2005 champions Croatia, in April’s quarterfinals.
Earlier, Hewitt had to work to make amends for his opening-day defeat, when he lost to Vliegen in five sets while Guccione had been beaten by Rochus. The 25-year-old former world number one stormed back in Saturday’s doubles alongside Paul Hanley.
Andy Roddick led 31-time champions America into the quarterfinals, and a showdown with Spain, the team which beat them in a thrilling final in 2004. Roddick secured the US’ first win on clay in the World Group in a decade with a 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, 7-6(9) win over Czech Tomas Berdych in Ostrava to take his second point of the first round tie after also winning his opening singles on Friday.
Spain, twice Davis Cup winners, overcame the absence of Rafael Nadal to see off Switzerland, without Roger Federer, with Fernando Verdasco making sure of victory in Geneva when he saw off Stephane Bohli 6-3, 6-3, 6-2. The win also ended Spain’s poor recent record where they had lost in the first round in the last two years.
The Swiss, who were also without their number two Stanislaw Wawrinka, won the dead rubber to make the final score 3-2 when Marco Chiudinelli edged David Ferrer 3-6, 6-3, 6-3.
Igor Andreev emerged as Russia’s saviour to take the holders into a home quarterfinal match-up against France.
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