Slovakia qualifies for Davis Cup Finals for first time | ATP Tour

Match Report

Slovakia qualifies for Davis Cup Finals for first time

France lead Chinese Taipei 2-0 on Day 1

February 03, 2024

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Lukas Klein and Igor Zelenay seal victory for Slovkia.
By ITF Staff

Slovakia qualified for the Davis Cup Finals for the first time on Saturday when Lukas Klein and Igor Zelenay clinched the decisive point in its qualifying tie against Serbia.

With Slovakia entering Day 2 of the tie in Serbia holding a 2-0 lead, Klein and Zelenay finished the job, moving past Nikola Cacic and Miomir Kecmanovic 7-6(4), 6-3 to give Slovakia an unassailable 3-0 lead against last year’s semi-finalists.

“We made it finally,” Zelenay said. “Too many years we didn’t qualify, but finally. I was a little bit nervous because I wanted to win so much. I think we played well and Lukas was playing really well and together we have been playing really well. We made an important point for Slovakia and I am really happy. I want to enjoy it now.”

In front of a lively crowd, Klein and Zelenay rallied from a break down in the first set, before they closed the net well throughout the second set to triumph after one hour and 38 minutes. They fired 31 winners and won 76 per cent (28/37) of their first-serve points.

“I am very happy we managed to win as a team, that is the important part,” said Klein, who also earned a victory in singles on Friday. “It doesn’t matter who won the three points. I am happy that we have qualified.”

Before this year, Slovakia had suffered four consecutive losses at the Qualifiers stage.

On Friday, Alex Molcan rallied past Dusan Lajovic 4-6, 6-2, 6-0 to give Slovakia a commanding 2-0 lead.

The 26-year-old Molcan recovered from a slow start by finding more rhythm on his serve, dropping just one point behind his first delivery in the deciding set, sealing the match after one hour, 55 minutes.

”I’m happy that we were able to win two matches today. We knew it was going to be tough against Serbians in their home nation,” Molcan said. “I was a little bit nervous in the first set. I was [hitting] very short. I just was trying to hit the ball big and I didn’t have any idea what I was doing.

“In the second set, I started to hit the ball deep in the court and that helped me a lot. Then, I got the momentum until the end of the match, so I’m really happy that I could win. I’m also happy that Lukas won. I’m proud of our team today and we will try to make one more point tomorrow.”

Molcan’s countryman Klein ensured a fast start for his home country earlier on Friday, when he moved past Serbian Kecmanovic 7-6(2), 6-2.

Competing on indoor clay, Klein overpowered Kecmanovic from the baseline and was strong on return, breaking the World No. 41’s serve four times en route to a 90-minute triumph. Klein, who fell in a fifth-set tie-break to Alexander Zverev in the second round at last…