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Davis Cup Tennis 2019: June's Final Group Scores and Results; July Schedule

James Dudko@@JamesDudkoFeatured ColumnistJune 29, 2019

SINGAPORE, SINGAPORE - JUNE 29: Shaheed Alam and Roy Hobbs of Singapore in action during their mens doubles play-off match against Shahin Khaledan and Kiarash Souri of Iran during day four of the Davis Cup Asia/Oceania Group III at OCBC Arena on June 29, 2019 in Singapore. (Photo by Lionel Ng/Getty Images for Singapore Sports Hub)
Lionel Ng/Getty Images

Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Kuwait and Singapore all won in the play-off matches for Group III of the Asia/Oceania draw at the 2019 Davis Cup on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Ghana, Cameroon and Gabon also won play-off contests in Group IV of the Africa draw in Brazzaville, Congo.

       

Saturday Scores

Group III Asia/Oceania

  • Vietnam 2-0 Syria
  • Sri Lanka 2-1 Qatar
  • Kuwait 2-1 Malaysia
  • Singapore 2-1 Iran

Group IV Africa

  • Ghana 2-0 Rwanda
  • Cameroon 2-0 Uganda
  • Botswana 0-2 Gabon

        

Standings Asia/Oceania (Played, Won, Lost, Rubbers W-L)

Pool A

1. Vietnam: 3, 3, 0, 8-1

2. Sri Lanka: 3, 2, 1, 4-5

3. Kuwait: 3, 1, 2, 3-6

4. Singapore: 3, 0, 3, 3-6

Pool B

1. Syria: 3, 3, 0, 8-1

2. Qatar: 3, 2, 1, 4-5

3. Malaysia: 3, 1, 2, 5-4

4. Iran: 3, 0, 3, 1-8

      

Africa (Played, Won, Lost, Rubbers W-L)

Pool A

1. Ghana: 2, 2, 0, 5-1

2. Cameroon: 2, 1, 1, 3-3

3. Gabon: 2, 0, 2, 1-5

       

Pool B

1. Rwanda: 3, 3, 0, 8-1

2. Uganda: 3, 2, 1, 6-3

3. Botswana: 3, 1, 2, 3-6

4. Congo: 3, 0, 3, 1-8

        

July Schedule (Per tournament's official website)

  • Group IV Europe Round Robin Pool A and Pool B matches: Monday, July 15 to Friday, July 19
  • Group IV Europe Play-Off ties Pool A vs. Pool B: Saturday, July 20

Teams: Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Cyprus, Iceland, Ireland, Kosovo, Liechtenstein, Malta, San Marino

       

Asia/Oceania

Linh Giang Trinh needed to survive tiebreakers in both sets before he overcame Syria's Yacoub Makzoume. Trinh eventually won 7-6(3), 7-6(7) to put Vietnam in early control of the tie at the OCBC Arena in Singapore.

Control wasn't relinquished, even though Nam Hoang Ly dropped the first set to Kareem Al Allaf. Staging a quick recovery, Ly took the next two sets to wrap up another victory for his nation, 6-7(6), 6-1, 6-0.

Qatar let things slip after going in front against Sri Lanka when Mousa Shanan Zayed beat Savit Weerasinghe 6-4, 6-2.

Sri Lanka's revival began when Harshana Godamanna got past Mubarak Shannan Zayid in three sets. Godamanna's 6-1, 2-6, 7-5 win meant a third rubber was needed to settle things.

Godamanna and Dineshkanthan Thangarajah saw off Zayid and Zayed, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4.

Next up, Kuwait also lost the first rubber before rallying to beat Malaysia. Essa Qabazard was on the wrong end of a 6-2, 6-2 defeat to Naufal Siddiq Kamaruzzaman.

Fortunately for Kuwait, Abdullah Maqdes was able to outlast Shamirul Shahril Mohd Adam Das. Maqdes took the first set 6-1 but was beaten 6-4 in the second before easing through the third to win 6-2.

Kuwait sealed the tie by winning the doubles in straight sets.

Singapore thrived playing in front of home support, as Shaheed Alam beat Hesam Esmail Yazdi 6-3, 6-2. There was a setback in the second rubber when Shahin Khaledan won two tiebreaks to take victory against Hao Yuan Ng, 4-6, 7-6(3), 7-6(2).

It was left to Alam and Roy Hobbs to beat Khaledan and Kiarash Souri 6-3, 6-2 in the doubles.

      

Africa

Ghana were too strong for Rwanda when the African group play-offs began. Herman Abban was a set and a game up against Ernest Habiyambere before the latter was forced to retire.

Abban made the telling shots at key moments during the opening set, including converting a pair of break points. He hit 30 winners in total en route to a 6-4 win.

Isaac Nortey broke Olivier Havugimana's serve four times and protected his own flawlessly, per the tournament's official website. Nortey's ability to stay strong on serve was the key to a 6-3, 6-1 win that gave Ghana both the second rubber and the tie.

Cameroon got off to a winning start when Etienne Teboh thrashed Uganda's Frank Tayebwa, 6-1, 6-1. Teboh hit 57 winners and converted five of eight break points to put his nation into a commanding position in the tie.

Nkwenti Blaise Ngwohoh confirmed Cameroon's win when he outlasted David Oringa in three sets, 3-6, 7-6(1), 6-3.

The day ended with Gabon impressing against Botswana. Willy Lebendje got things started by besting Thato Holmes, 6-4, 7-6(6).

Lebendje's win left Lyold Obiang Ondo to see off Lefa Ashley Sibanda in straight sets, 6-3, 6-3.