Sweden is ready for the second year in a row for the Davis Cup Finals after a 3-2 victory against Japan.
Great match hero in Helsingborg Arena: Elias Ymer, who was involved in all Swedish match wins.
Sweden’s Mikael Ymer was forced to stand over the qualifier due to injury. Then big brother Elias Ymer stepped forward.
The score was 1-1 after Friday’s opening matches since Elias Ymer defeated the Japanese one Taro Daniel in straight sets.
Saturday’s opening double match was a thriller. Despite a 2–6 deficit and three match points against them, Ymer and André Göransson managed to give Sweden a 2–1 lead.
Taro Daniel then made sure to keep Japan’s hope of victory alive when he equalized against debutant Dragos Madaras.
For the third time in his Davis Cup career, Elias Ymer won a fifth and decisive match for Sweden. Big victory cheers erupted after 6-3, 6-3 against Japan’s Yosuke Watanuki.
– The double was extremely important where we saved three match balls. It’s been a cruel week for me. I have never won three games in a row. I’m so proud of the team. It will be fun with the World Cup final again, it was so fun last year. Now you have something to look forward to again.
– I love Helsingborg. It was almost ten years since I got to win a decisive match here. To be able to do it again, it can not get better, says Ymer.
Davis Cup captain Robin Söderling:
– It’s fantastic fun. This is the third time we gather like this with the Davis Cup team and it’s just as fun every time. There has been a positive atmosphere in the team, even though it was tough with Micke’s (Ymer) injury. But we said we would win this match anyway, and we did. All credit to Elias who wins all three matches. It’s not easy, he did really well.
– The audience was fantastic. That they stay all the time and show that Sweden has a home field and that Japan felt that they had an away field. It helped us a lot.
Last year’s quarterfinalist Sweden can now look forward to playing in the world final. 16 nations participate in the Davis Cup Finals, which begin with group games September 14-18. Eight nations advance to the playoffs, which will be decided at a venue in November.
Sweden – Japan 3–2
Dragos Madaras – Yosuke Watanuki 4–6, 4–6
Elijah Ymer – Taro Daniel 7–5, 6 –4
André Göransson / Elias Ymer – Ben McLachlan / Yasutaka Uchiyama 2–6, 7–6 (7), 7–5
Dragos Madaras – Taro Daniel 0–6, 5–7
Elias Ymer – Yosuke Watanuki 6–3, 6–3
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