KAOHSIUNG, Taiwan – Australia took an irreversible 3-0 lead over Taiwan by winning the doubles on Saturday in the Asia-Oceania zone Group I Davis Cup tie in the southern Taiwanese city of Kaohsiung.
Lleyton Hewitt and Chris Guccione defeated Lee Hsin-han and Peng Hsien-yin 7-6(8), 6-4, 6-2 to maintain their unbeaten record as a Davis Cup team, while boosting Australia’s hopes of being promoted to the World Group this year.
On Friday, Hewitt delivered an efficient 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 win over Yang Tsung-hua to score his 39th singles win in Davis Cup play, and Matthew Ebden picked up his team’s second point of the day with a 6-3, 6-4, 7-5 win over Chen Ti.
Hewitt, who turns 32 later this month, showed few signs of the foot problems which dogged him for much of the 2012 season.
Australian captain Pat Rafter has hinted that he may also change the Australian line-up for Sunday’s reverse singles if needed.
The team, the top seed in this group, will face either Uzbekistan or China in April. If successful, Australia will go into the World Group play-offs in September.
Last year Australia progressed through Asia/Oceania Zone Group I before falling to Germany in the play-offs.