Host nation Germany will meet Serbia in Saturday’s final at the ARAG ATP World Team Championship at the Rochusclub in Dusseldorf.
RED GROUP: Germany beats Sweden 2-1
Germany booked its place in the final on Friday, after recovering from a 0-1 overnight deficit against Sweden.
Nicolas Kiefer and Mischa Zverev dramatically clinched Germany a spot in the eight-nation team final for the first time since 2006, when the pair saved one match point against Sweden’s Robert Lindstedt and Robin Soderling in the Match tie-break. Kiefer and Zverev saved one match point at 9-10 in the Match tie-break en route to a 7-6(4), 4-6, 13-11 triumph in one hour and 33 minutes on Center Court I.
Earlier in the day, Philipp Kohlschreiber had got Germany back to 1-1 in the Red Group decider. Kohlschreiber saved all five break points he faced to beat World No. 657 Andreas Vinciguerra of Sweden 6-1, 6-2 in 71 minutes. The 25 year old improved to 3-0 in singles play this week and 18-9 on the 2009 ATP World Tour season.
On Thursday, Soderling thrashed Rainer Schuettler 6-0, 6-0 in the opening singles rubber. Sweden, the defending champions, and Germany both came into the tie with 2-0 records this week.
BLUE GROUP: Serbia beats Italy 2-1
Serbia advanced to Saturday’s final when Nenad Zimonjic and Viktor Troicki combined to beat Italians Francesco Piccari and Andreas Seppi 6-0, 7-6(5) in 69 minutes. Serbia completed the Blue Group with a 3-0 record in round-robin ties.
Earlier in the day, World No. 72 Janko Tipsarevic helped Serbia to 1-1 after beating World No. 406 Piccari 6-2, 6-3 in 73 minutes. Tipsarevic hit five aces and converted five of nine break point opportunities to record his 12th win of the season (12-13 record). The 24 year old is 1-2 in singles play this week, which includes a 6-2, 6-4 victory over Russian Stanislav Vovk on Tuesday.
BLUE GROUP: Argentina beats Russia 3-0
Argentina won its second tie of the week on Friday, after Maximo Gonzalez – a late replacement for Juan Monaco, who is still recovering from a left wrist injury – defeated Evgeny Korolev of Russia 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 in two hours and eight minutes. Gonzalez hit five aces and won 57 of 85 service points.
Gonzalez and Juan Martin del Potro were later tied at 2-2 against Russians Evgeny Korolev and Dmitry Tursunov in the doubles rubber, when Korolev retired after 19 minutes of play with a left ankle injury.
(From Website : http://www.atpworldtour.com/TENNIS/1/EN/NEWS/NEWSARTICLE_3746.ASP)
