Davis Cup: Australia wins World Group playoff over Slovakia
SYDNEY (AP) Doubles pair Sam Groth and John Peers beat Slovakia's Andrej Martin and Igor Zelenay 6-4, 6-2, 6-7 (3), 7-6 (2) on Saturday to clinch Australia's Davis Cup World Group playoff 3-0.
Slovakia saved a match point in the 12th game of the third set before winning the tiebreaker. But Australia dominated the fourth-set tiebreaker, winning the first five points.
The win with new captain Lleyton Hewitt in charge ensured Australia, a first-round loser to the United States in February, will remain in the elite group of 16 countries for 2017.
On Friday, Nick Kyrgios and Bernard Tomic had straight-set singles victories on the grass court at Sydney Olympic Park. Kyrgios opened with a 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 win over Martin and Tomic beat Jozef Kovalik 7-6 (5) 6-4, 6-4.
