Máximo González and Andrés Molteni, top 10 duo. Photo: @AATenis
Argentina, with the weight of the highest hierarchy of its tennis players, won the Davis Cup series against Lithuania this Sunday after reaching an irrecoverable 3-0 in the best of five points tiewhich was achieved with the doubles victory of Andrés Molteni and Máximo González over Tadas Babalis and Edas Butvilas by a comfortable 6-4 and 6-3.
With the victory consummated on the central court of the Buenos Aires Lawn Tennis Club by the “top ten” Molteni (9) and “Machi” González (10), after one hour and 17 minutes of play, and under a light rain, Argentina achieved the objective of advancing to the 2024 Qualifiers, that is, to the stage prior to the Finals in which the elite countries compete.
The Argentine couple, champions this year in five tournaments, the Córdoba Open, Rio de Janeiro, the Conde de Godó in Barcelona, Washington and the Masters 1000 in Cincinnati, It closed the series and unleashed the celebrations of a victory that had begun to build last Saturday.
The thing is The Argentine team whose captain is Guillermo “Mago” Coria arrived on Sunday with an advantage that was presumed decisive after the victories achieved on Saturday by Francisco Cerúndolo (21) over the youthful Vilius Gaubas (476), 18 years old, 6-1, 6-7 (6-8) and 6-2, and Sebastián Báez (28) against the experienced Ricardas Berankis (231), 33-year-old, 7-6 (8-6), 5-7 and 6-3, after two hours and 42 minutes.
In the doubles, the Argentine couple, one of the best on the circuit with their five titles in 2023, imposed their hierarchy from the opening set, with a command of the stage that allowed them to resolve the set with a single break and very good service games. .
???? The one who leaves life for colors ????
The passion ???????? that never fails #Davis cup | @AATenis pic.twitter.com/l8dFmUWq3u
— Davis Cup (@CopaDavis) September 17, 2023
The only break of the set occurred in the third game and the Argentines went ahead 2-1 with a good return from Tandil native González, the most experienced of the duo at 40 years old.
In the second set Molteni and González came out determined to close the series and achieved a quick break on Babelis’ serve to go ahead 1-0 and thus they moved comfortably on a day in which there were fewer people, the stadium was at 70 percent of its capacity, possibly due to the permanent threat of rain.
The Lithuanians showed an acceptable level, but it was logical that they were surpassed by the highest hierarchy of the Argentine couple.
Machi González from Tandil was very fine to cross the net, a characteristic of his game, and that tipped the balance in favor of the Argentine team, which went ahead 5-3 and was on the brink of victory.
The only moment of doubt was when with Lithuania at the service they had three match points and could not achieve them, perhaps playing in a hurry because it was already starting to rain heavily and the match could be suspended.
However, The Argentines continued to insist and managed to break the Lithuanians’ serve with the fifth match point in their favor to close the set 6-3, which came with a forehand from Butvilas that went long.
The end was pure celebration with the five tennis players hugging together with “Mago” Coria, in a sign of support for his management, because his contract will end at the end of the year and it is not defined if it will be renewed despite his express wish. to continue as captain.
Argentina wins 3-0! ????@machigonzalez1 y @andymolto They beat Babelis/Butvilas to close the series and sign their pass to the 2024 Qualifiers ???????? #Davis cup | @AATenis pic.twitter.com/mfzYiF00kF
— Davis Cup (@CopaDavis) September 17, 2023
“I feel immense happiness, we were able to give the team the point that it needed to win the series and we were very supported by the public, who encouraged a lot during the game,” analyzed Molteni. moments after the victory was achieved.
Molteni, 35 years old, spent his entire career at the Buenos Aires Lawn Tennis Club, since he first took a racket in his hands when he was 7 years old.
“I grew up in this club, I spent my entire career here, without a doubt that is something special too, having won at my home,” admitted “Molto.”
While, González from Tandil also thanked the people for their support during the two days of Davis on the stage located in the Buenos Aires neighborhood of Palermo.
“The public encouraged us at all times, we felt very supported and I think the Lithuanians felt it too because they are not used to an environment like that,” analyzed “Machi” González.
Once the victory is consummated and the pass to the Qualifiers, What follows for Argentina is to know which country will be its next rival in the first days of February 2024, something that will be defined next November once this year’s Davis Cup Finals are over.
2023-09-17 16:55:00
#Argentina #qualified #Davis #Cup
