Jason Kubler and Alex de Minaur lead Australia to 3-0 victory over Belgium in Davis Cup opener

• Australia beat Belgium 3-0 on the opening day of the Davis Cup finals group round.
• Rookie Jason Kubler and Alex de Minaur score decisive points for Australia.
• The doubles match between Matthew Ebden and Max Purcell won 6-1, 6-3.

Jason Kubler and Alex de Minaur set up Australia’s 3-0 victory over Belgium on the first day of the Davis Cup finals group round on Tuesday.

In the opening Group C match in Hamburg, Germany, rookie Jason Kubler outdueled 134th-ranked Zizou Bergs by scores of 6-4, 1-6, and 6-3.

After losing the second set, Kubler, rated 97th, went on a five-game winning streak to score Australia’s first point while behind 1-3 in the third set.

“I’m over the moon that I was able to deliver today but we may not have been in this position if it were not for Jason Kubler who came out on his debut and pulled a rabbit out of the hat,” said de Minaur.

“He played with passion and pride and showed everything that Davis Cup is about. He got the win which gave us a 1-0 lead which I thought was huge.”

De Minaur defeated David Goffin 6-2, 6-2 in one hour and six minutes to earn the decisive point for the 28-time Davis Cup champions.

In their four encounters, 62-ranked Goffin, a semifinalist in the Davis Cup in 2015 and 2017, has never defeated 22nd-ranked Minaur.

In the doubles match, Matthew Ebden and Max Purcell defeated Sander Gille and Joran Vliegen 6-1, 6-3.

On Wednesday, the Germans face France to begin their Group C campaign before playing Belgium and Australia.

Tuesday’s games in Groups A and B are Argentina vs. Sweden in Group A, Canada vs. South Korea in Group B, and Kazakhstan vs. the Netherlands in Group D.

Nations compete in two singles matches, followed by a doubles match, all in a best-of-three style, in the last-16 group stage.

From November 22 to November 27 in Malaga, the Davis Cup group matches’ top two teams advance to the round of eight.

Also Read

Sergi Bruguera hoping Alcaraz ready for Davis Cup

Spain hope new world number one Carlos Alcaraz. Wwill be prepared for...