Greece’s Davis Cup team defeated Monaco 2-1 at the Europe Group III competition in Athens, securing promotion to Group II for 2020.
In the opening singles match, Greece’s Michail Pervolarakis took on Monaco’s Romain Arneodo. The Greek cruised through the first set, taking it 6-1. Pervolarakis then went up 5-2 in the second set, but Arneodo saved four match points to take the second set in a tiebreak. Nevertheless, the Greek held on to win the third set 6-4 and put Greece up 1-0.
In the second singles match, world number seven Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece faced world number 477 Lucas Catarina of Monaco. Tsitsipas cruised to a 6-2, 6-1 victory, clinching the win for Greece. This now means that Greece (along with Poland, Estonia, and Latvia) will be promoted to Group II for next year. Therefore, 2020 will mark the first time since 2014 that Greece competes in Group II.
Markos Kalovelonis and Petros Tsitsipas teamed up for Greece in doubles, playing against Monaco’s Benjamin Balleret and Hugo Nys. Greece surprisingly took the first set 6-3. However, the experienced Monaco pair took the next two sets by the same score to put Monaco on the board.
Greece will now face Latvia on Saturday in the consolation play-off for third place.
GREECE 2, MONACO 1:
Michail Pervolarakis (Greece) def. Romain Arneodo (Monaco) 6-1 6-7(8) 6-4
Stefanos Tsitsipas (Greece) def. Lucas Catarina (Monaco) 6-2 6-1
Balleret/Nys (Monaco) def. Kalovelonis/P.Tsitsipas (Greece) 3-6 6-3 6-3
by Andrew Stamas
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