Olympic champions John Peers and Matt Ebden have reunited to guide Australia to a victory sweep in their Davis Cup tie in Sweden.
With Lleyton Hewitt’s team 2-0 overnight in the first-round qualifying tie after the first-day singles in Stockholm, the golden veterans teamed up on Saturday for the first time since their Paris triumph to win the tie-clinching doubles rubber.
Competing for only the second time together as a Davis Cup partnership despite their long experience in the competition, the Perth neighbours and great pals used their old nous to come from a set down and defeat the Swedish duo of Filip Bergevi and Andre Goransson 6-7 (7-9) 6-3 6-2.
The 3-0 victory ensured Australia, last year’s semi-finalists, eased into September’s second qualifying round against either Belgium or Chile, with the winners of that tie then going into the ‘Final 8’ week in Bologna, Italy, in November.
After Friday’s comfortable straight-sets wins for Alex de Minaur and Aleksandar Vukic, there never looked a realistic way back for the hosts, even in front of a vociferous full-house at the Royal Tennis Hall in Sweden’s capital.
The 37-year-old Ebden, a former world No.1 doubles player, and 36-year-old Peers, once the No.2, always looked too much of a hurdle for the two 30-year-old Swedes.
But Goransson, a surprise semi-finalist in the recent Australian Open doubles, and Bergevi played above themselves to earn the only break point of the set – repelled by the Aussies – before taking a tight breaker on their third set point.
It only prompted the veteran Aussie partnership to immediately respond, earning the first break of the match on Bergevi’s delivery at the start of the second stanza before really taking control, breaking both Swedes’ serve in the decider.
https://thewest.com.au/sport/tennis/olympic-champs-reunite-to-seal-aussies-davis-cup-win-c-17583533
