Sweden secures Davis Cup final place
HELSINGBORG, 5 March 2022
Sweden has reached Davis Cup by Rakuten Finals for the second time. The Scandinavians, without their injured top-ranked player Mikael Ymerdefeated Japan 3-2 at home in Helsingborg last Saturday.
Elias Ymer secured the final point after a 6-3, 6-3 win Yosuke Watanaki. World number 133 sent down six aces and won 71 percent of its first service points to win after one hour and 10 minutes.
🇸🇪 @eliasymer takes it home for Sweden with a 6-3 6-3 win against Watanuki!#DavisCup #av Rakuten pic.twitter.com/VZ5ntZi7Sq
– Davis Cup (@DavisCup) March 5, 2022
Earlier in the day, Andre Göransson and Elias Ymer gave Sweden a 2-1 lead by winning the double rubber, as they persevered Ben McLachlan and Yasutaka Uchiyama 2-6, 7-6 (9), 7-5 after two hours and 40 minutes.
Taro Daniel leveled the score for Japan with a comfortable 6-0, 7-5 victory over Dragos Nicolae Madaras in 83 minutes.
In last year’s Davis Cup final, Sweden finished in second place in Group B after defeating Canada 3-0, fell to Kazakhstan 2-1, but advanced to the quarterfinals as the best performing group runner-up. They lost to the final champions of the Russian Tennis Federation 2-0 in the last eight. As one of 12 winners from this week’s qualifier, Sweden will return to the final with the group game scheduled for September.