SA win doubles to take the lead
The South African Davis Cup duo of Raven Klaasen and Izak van der Merwe claimed a crucial 6-7(5) 7(4)-6 6-1 6-4 victory in the doubles in their Euro-Africa group one Davis Cup qualifier agsinst Slovenia at the Arthur Ashe tennis complex in Soweto on Saturday.
South Africa now lead the tie 2-1 going into Sunday's reverse singles matches, with Van der Merwe up first against Blaz Kavcic. Later Ruan Roelofse will take on Zemlja if required.
Despite losing the first set in a tie break after the locals were up a break in the fourth game, South Africa came back to win the second set in a tiebreaker.
Slovenia's doubles team of Blaz Kavcic and Grega Zemlja were up 4-3 in the tie break, but South Africa rallied to win the next two points on the visitors' serve, and held their nerve to serve out the set.
The third set saw the Slovenian resistance crumble as South Africa broke both the second and fourth games before they ran out to claim the set 6-1.
In the fourth set South Africa broke again in the fifth game as they knocked the confidence of the Slovenians. Van der Merwe served out the match in the 10th game to win the set 6-4.
