Mikael Ymer was forced to withdraw in the first qualifying match of the Davis Cup due to an injury. Stock Photography.
Photo: Johan Nilsson / TT
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Skarakillen Mikael Ymer did not start in the qualifying game for the tennis team competition Davis Cup due to a wrist injury.
Then the hidden ice Dragos Madaras got the chance for Sweden in the first match – and lost 0-2 in sets (4-6, 4-6) against Japan’s Yosuke Watanuki.
The Swedish team is thus behind with 0-1 against Japan before the continuation of the qualifiers, which are decided in the best of five matches (four singles matches and a doubles match).
Later tonight, Elias Ymer will face Taro Daniel in the second qualifying match.
The idea was that Sweden’s Mikael Ymer, ranked 85 in the world, would meet 267-ranked Yosuke Watanuki in Helsingborg on Friday.
But that did not happen.
Davis Cup debutant Dragos Madaras, ranked 327th in the world rankings, replaced the wrist-injured Ymer, but did not manage to secure a Swedish victory.
Just a few minutes before the match, Watanuki was informed that it was not Mikael Ymer who would be in charge of the opposition.
– I had poor control of him (Madaras), so I was very confused, says the Japanese in the victory interview.
Madaras got a nightmare opening in the match and quickly ended up in a 1-5 disadvantage in the first set, but managed to at least polish the numbers to 4-6.
He then lost other sets with the same numbers.
The winning team goes on to the autumn group games and will be joined by another eleven qualifying winners, as well as Croatia (finalist 2021), Great Britain (wildcard) and Serbia (wildcard).
Russia is the reigning champion and was also directly qualified for the group stage, but has been ruled out due to the country’s invasion of Ukraine.
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