2023-09-17 20:10:34
The Israeli Davis team achieved a dramatic 2:3 victory over the Japanese team this evening (Saturday). After the first day, which ended in a 1:1 tie, Israel fell behind 2:1 following the loss of Daniel Zuckerman and Idan Leshem in doubles. But then came a comeback by Zuckerman who tied it 2:2 against Sho Shimbukuru.
In the fifth game, between Yishai Oliel and Shintero Mochizuki, the Israeli came back from a deficit after surrendering in the first set, and managed to win 1:2 in sets, to complete a great 2:3 in the meeting held at Hall Shlomo in Tel Aviv. Thanks to the victory, Israel qualified for the promotion match to the final tournament of the Davis Cup (Top 16), while Japan was relegated to the survival matches in Group 1.
Yishai Oliel celebrates his victory over Japan in the Davis Cup (Photo: Israel Tennis Association)
Daniel Zuckerman and Idan Leshem – Ben McLachlan and Kaito Owasugi 6:2, 7:6 (2)
Zuckerman and there did not enter the game well, McLachlan and Osoggi took full advantage of this with a crushing first set. They broke the serves already in the first service game of the hosts, and in the last game they closed the story with another break and 2:6 after half an hour.
The second set looked completely different, when there was not a single break of serve throughout. The Japanese already led 4:5 and 0:40, but Zuckerman and Valsham escaped from the three match points with a heroic comeback in the game. Israel had three break points in the next game, but they were not used and the game was dragged to a tie breaker where the Japanese cruised to 2:7.
Daniel Zuckerman – Sho Shimbukuru 6:2, 1:6, 6:7 (4)
Zuckerman advanced to the third match in about 24 hours and beat the 146th ranked in the world. Shimbukuru showed superiority in the first set and with a lot of energy and agility, defeated her easily. In the second set Zuckerman got down to business, relatively easily kept the serve shots, broke twice and won 1:6 quickly and efficiently.
Daniel Zuckerman in victory over Japan in the Davis Cup (Photo: Israel Tennis Association)
Shimbukuru got back to business in the third set and went up 2:4 with his service shots, but here Zuckerman broke and after a long game equalized at 4:4. The continuation was tight, with the two tennis players fighting tooth and nail for every point. The Japanese went up to 5:6 and a match point, but Zuckerman kept his cool and leveled at 6:6. In the tiebreaker, the Japanese led 3:4, but made mistake after mistake and Zuckerman recorded a great victory.
Yishai Oliel – Shintaro Mochizuki 6:2, 5:7, 0:6
The Japanese who started better, with a quick 0:4 and a 2:6 victory in the first set, Mochizuki even led 4:5 in the second set and was close to one game from victory, but it was Uliel who rose against his young opponent who lost confidence and took three consecutive games to force a set crucial At this point the momentum was all Israeli, and Uliel was the one who went up 0:5 with three breaks, as he completes a victory in eight games in a row, on the way to a huge turnaround.
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