GB rescue point in Davis Cup defeat

 

Originally published on: 26/02/10 12:22

British number three Josh Goodall was first up but he could not prevent the hosts falling 4-0 behind in Glasgow as he tumbled to a 7-6 (7/3) 6-3 defeat by Ivan Sergeyev.

Goodall is ranked more than 200 places higher than the Ukrainian but he made an inauspicious start, losing his opening service game.

The Briton hit back to level but some wayward forehands in the tie-break cost him dearly and he found himself a set behind.

The second began as badly as the first for Goodall, with Sergeyev taking a break lead that he did not relinquish.

It therefore fell to Chris Eaton to prevent Britain suffering a whitewash. The big-serving 21-year-old showed he has a taste for the big stage by reaching the second round of Wimbledon last year, and he began in impressive fashion against Illya Marchenko.

Eaton took an early break and broke Marchenko again with the Ukrainian serving to stay in the set to take it 6-3, but the world number 224, who beat Goodall in three tie-breaks on Friday, upped his game at the start of the second set to break immediately.

Eaton hit straight back but Marchenko moved ahead again and levelled the match with some solid serving to take the set 6-4. With no breaks in the decisive third set, a tie-break was needed to settle the match.

Marchenko had won their only previous meeting last year but it was Eaton who made the decisive break at 5-4 this time, with a huge return setting up two match points.

The Surrey player missed the first but a wayward return from Marchenko sealed a 6-3 4-6 7-6 (7/5) victory for Eaton, whose performances against two players ranked significantly higher will at least have given captain Lloyd something positive to take away from the comprehensive defeat.

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