MALAGA (Reuters) – Australia booked their place in the Davis Cup semi-finals as doubles pair Matthew Ebden and Jordan Thompson clinched the deciding rubber against the United States on Thursday.
Olympic champion Ebden and Thompson beat Tommy Paul and Ben Shelton 6-4 6-4 to put Lleyton Hewitt’s side into their third successive semi-final of the men’s team event.
The U.S. were slight favourites going into a battle between the two most successful nations in the competition’s history, but Australia’s Thanasi Kokkinakis beat Shelton 6-1 4-6 7-6(14) in the opening singles after saving four match points.
World number four Taylor Fritz then levelled it up with a 6-3 6-4 defeat of Alex de Minaur to send the tie to the doubles.
Ebden and Thompson’s greater doubles experience then proved decisive as they completed the victory.
Australia will find out their opponents later on Thursday when reigning champions Italy take on Argentina.
(Reporting by Martyn Herman; Editing by Toby Davis)
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