Belgium fought back from 1-2 down after losing the doubles match on Saturday to beat Argentina 3-2 in Brussels to set up the Davis Cup World Group final against Great Britain who beat Australia 3-1 in Glasgow. David Goffin beat Diego Schwartzman in straight sets by 6-3 6-2 6-1 keeping Belgian hopes alive to reach the Davis Cup final for the first time since 1904. Steve Darcis completed the Belgian triumph with a 6-4 2-6 7-5 7-6 (7-3) win over Federico Delbonis.
Leonardo Mayer was expected to play against Goffin in the first reverse rubber on Sunday but the Argentine player was too tired after playing for eight hours in the first two days and was replaced by Schwartzman who previously lost to Dusan Lajovic in his only appearance in a singles match in the Davis Cup in 2015.
The first set followed on serve until the seventh game, when Goffin converted on his break point at 4-3 en route to serving out to clinch the set by 6-3. Goffin went up a break to love in the first game of the second set. David hit a backhand winner down the line on his match point at 5-1 in the third set to draw Belgium levelled at 2-2.
In the final match – which featured two players separated by just one position in the ATP Rankings – World Number 64 Steve Darcis beat Federico Delbonis in another thrilling match by 6-4 2-6 7-5 7-6. Darcis broke serve in the seventh game en route to winning the first set. The second set went on serve until the sixth game when Delbonis earned three break points. He converted the third opportunity before getting a double break in the 8th game to close at 6-2.
Delbonis dropped his serve to love in the 11th game of the third set at 5-all when Darcis earned three set points with a dipping shot. The Belgian held his serve to love to take a 2-1 lead. In the fourth set both players traded breaks in the third and in the fourth game. Darcis broke again in the fifth game but he failed to convert two match points in the 10th game.
The set came down to the decisive tie-break where Darcis got up by three mini-breaks, but failed to convert two match points. The Belgian held his nerve to convert on his third match point winning by 7-3 after a very tense tie-break to the delight of the 8000 enthusiastic fans who packed the Forest National in Brussels. Belgium will host Great Britain next November in his first Davis Cup final in over a century.
Diego Sampaolo
