Nadal helps put Spain into ATP Cup quarter-finals, wins for Thiem and Djokovic
Roberto Bautista Agut had given Spain the lead after an equally one-sided 6-1 6-2 win against Franco
PERTH (Reuters) - World number one Rafael Nadal was in a punishing mood and kept his preparations for this month s Australian Open on track by dismantling Uruguayan Pablo Cuevas 6-2 6-1 in Perth to help Spain seal their ATP Cup tie in Perth, Australia on Monday (January 6) and a quarter-final spot.
Roberto Bautista Agut had given Spain the lead after an equally one-sided 6-1 6-2 win against Franco Roncadelli in the $15 million ATP Cup, which features 24 nations competing in Perth, Brisbane and Sydney over 10 days.
Pablo Carreno Busta and Feliciano Lopez then combined to defeat Ariel Behar and Juan Martin Fumeaux 6-1 3-6 10-3 to give Spain a 3-0 win and set up a group decider against Japan on Wednesday (January 8), who beat Georgia 2-1 on Monday.
World number four Dominic Thiem bounced back from his season-opening loss against Borna Coric by defeating Diego Schwartzman 6-3 7-6(3) to help set up a 3-0 win for Austria over against Argentina in Sydney.
Austria came into the match having suffered a 3-0 loss to Croatia in their opening Group E tie, but a 6-4 6-4 win by Dennis Novak over Guido Pella and a 6-1 6-4 victory for Oliver Marach and Juergen Melzer against Maximo Gonzalez and Andres Molteni has given the Austrians a chance of progressing to the quarter-finals. Croatia lead the group after a 2-1 win over bottom team Poland.
Novak Djokovic braved extreme humidity to help Serbia defeat France 2-1 in their Group A clash.
Both teams had won their opening ties, and it was France that took the early initiative when Benoit Paire overcame Dusan Lajovic 6-2 6-7(6) 6-4 depite a loss of temper at the end of the second set when the Frenchman destroyed one of his racquets.
Djokovic then overcame Gael Monfils 6-3 6-2 before teaming up with Viktor Troicki to defeat Nicolas Mahut and Edouard Roger-Vasselin 6-3 7-6(5) 10-3 to give Serbia the win and put them top of Group A.
The final round of group matches will be played on Tuesday and Wednesday (January 7-8), with the six group winners and two best runners-up progessing to the quarter-finals. Australia and Spain are already assured of quarter-final places having won their groups with a tie to spare.
