Hong Kong shall continue its Davis Cup campaign in Asia/Oceania Zone Group II next year after Yu Hiu Tung came from a set down to beat Iranian number one and 858th-ranked Anoosha Shahgholi, 6-7(1), 6-2, 6-3, 6-4, in the opening reverse singles to stake the team to a winning 3-1 lead, rendering the remaining singles irrelevant. [Photo Gallery]
It was the territory's first away win in Group II since a 4-1 relegation playoff victory over Saudi Arabia in Riyadh in 1997* when Melvin Tong was still the first option, as he picked up all three of his points in live rubbers, while Wayne Wong at age 16 years and 16 days picked up his first win in Davis Cup play with a 6-2, 6-3, win against Tawfik Moafa in the reverse dead rubber.
The territory thus extended its perfect record against Iran to 2-0 after having won the initial encounter at Victoria Park back in 2001.
In other news, hosts Pacific Oceania staved off relegation by dominating both reverse singles against Pakistan, as Michael Leong defied the rankings by beating Aqeel Khan, 6-1, 6-2, 6-2, to level the tie at 2-2, before West Nott sealed the win with a victory over the inexperienced Jalil Khan, 6-1, 6-0, 6-0.
With the loss, Pakistan drops down to Asia/Oceania Zone Group III for the first time in its history since entering Davis Cup play in 1948. Just two years ago, Pakistan had reached the World Group Playoffs for the first time but fell to a Fernando Gonzalez-Nicolas Massu-led Chilean team away in Santiago.
In the Group II semifinals, the Philippines had already secured an unassailable 3-0 against New Zealand behind the one-two combo of Cecil Mamiit and Eric Taino yesterday. In the final, to be played over the weekend of September 21-23, the Filipinos will face the Kuwaitis after Mohammad Al Ghareeb had manhandled youngster Elbert Sie in the opening reverse singles, 6-1, 6-1, 6-3, to propel his team to a 3-1 win at the expense of Indonesia.
The turning point of the Kuwait-Indonesia tie came in the doubles as usual when Mohammad Al Ghareeb and Mohammad Khaliq-Siddiq came from two sets down to beat Indo's Suwandi Suwandi and Bonit Wiryawan, 6-7(3), 6-2, 6-2, 6-3, 6-3, to set the tone for Sunday's reverse singles.
Elsewhere, up in Group I, China was attempting to conjure one of its best comebacks ever after trailing 0-2, as the pairing of Zeng Shao-Xuan and Yu Xin-Yuan first defeated Chen Ti and Yi Chu-Huan in the doubles on Saturday to pull one back to 1-2. Then earlier this afternoon, 579th-ranked Chinese number one, Yu Xin-Yuan, leveled the tie at 2-2 by shocking ATP No. 96, Lu Yen-Hsun, in four sets, 6-4, 7-5, 2-6, 7-6(4). Unfortunately Sun Peng, now ranked at a lowly No. 827, was unable to overcome ATP No. 184, Wang Yeu-Tzuoo, as the Tianjin native succumbed in straight sets, 6-4, 7-5, 6-3.
China will now have to engage in a Relegation Playoff against either India or Kazakhstan later in September when the losing nation of that particular tie will drop down to Group II in 2008.
At the time of writing, Indian Captain Leander Paes has opted for himself to go against Dmitriy Makeyev in the fifth and deciding rubber after Alexey Kedriouk had squandered a two-set lead against Rohan Bopanna before eventually coming good with a 6-4, 6-4, 3-6, 4-6, 6-4 win to force the decider.
Results
Davis Cup by BNP Paribas 2007
Asia/Oceania Zone Group II Relegation Playoffs
Enghelab Sports Complex, Tehran, Iran
6 - 8 April 2007
HONG KONG defeated IRAN 3 - 1
R-1 Michael Lai (HKG) d. Anoosha Shahgholi (IRI) 6-7(3) 6-4 6-2 4-6 6-3
R-2 Yu Hiu Tung (HKG) d. Ashkan Shokoofi (IRI) 6-4 7-6(2) 7-5
R-3 Anoosha Shahgholi/Ashkan Shokoofi (IRI) d. Henry So/Yu Hiu Tung (HKG) 6-3 6-2 6-4
R-4 Yu Hiu Tung (HKG) d. Anoosha Shahgholi (IRI) 6-7(1) 6-2 6-3 6-4
R-5 Ashkan Shokoofi (IRI) v Michael Lai (HKG)
Iran relegated to Asia/Oceania Zone Group III in 2008
* Hong Kong's 3-1 win against Lebanon on 22 June 2003, which took place on the neutral grounds of Sri Lanka, would have been a home tie in April had there not been an outbreak of SARS in the region.