Kevin Anderson saved one match point to beat Benoit Paire 2-6 7-6 (7-1) 7-6 (7-5). Paire served for the win at 6-2 5-4 and earned a match point on Anderson’s serve at 3-5 30-40 in the third set before serving for the match at 5-4 in the third set.
“Benoit was in a very good position, serving for it twice. In that position you just try to take one point at a time, and I got a little bit lucky. He gave me a few points, which was tough on his side, but I made a couple of good returns and once I got the break back, I felt I played a good end of the second set and I finished the third set strong as well. It was a bit of a roller coaster. Both of us will feel that we could have done a few things better, but I am very pleased to get the win in the end ”,said Anderson.
South Africa needed to beat France 3-0 to qualify for the quarter final of the ATP Cup, but Gilles Simon beat 22-year-old South African player Lloyd Harris 2-6 6-2 6-2 in the first tie. Harris fended off six match points in the final game, but Simon converted his seventh chance, when the South African player netted a forehand.
Raven Klaasen and Ruan Roelofse won the doubles match beating Nicolas Mahut and Edouard Roger Vasselin 6-3 6-4 to give a 2-1 win.
Serbia won Group A with a perfect 3-0 record and was the only team from this group to advance to the knock-out stage.
