Fourth Set

1 - 1

2 - 2

Deuce on Slovakian serve
Break point

5 - 2

Yes.A win.
Gsm 6 - 3 7 - 6 0 - 6 6 - 3

Gbr 2 rubbers to 1

All to play for tomorrow

Good luck in the singles. Enormous pressure on the lads.

It's common for teams to have a dip in a five set match, especially after winning a tight second set to have a cushion of a 2 set lead. Critical that they turned it round at the start of the fourth to stop the Slovak momentum - squeezing out of that game from 0-40 was the key. That puts the pressure on Lacko who has already lost one match he was expected to win.

Great result seems to show the benefit of a settled team, since otherwise they looked quite evenly matched.

I am pretty sure that is GB's first win in a DC doubles rubber at Group 1 level or above without at least one of Andy, Tim or Greg being in the pair for 18 years, since Bates & Petchey win the doubles rubber against Portugal in Oporto in 1994, though they kind of spoilt that by losing all four singles rubbers between them!

Slovakia are a bit better at winning ties from 2-3 down than we are (though that's not saying much!) - they have done it 3 times in the last 15 years, in World Group R1 ties against ARG in 1998 & GER in 2004 and in a Group 1 tie against LUX in 2003. GB haven't managed to win a tie from 1-2 down since 1969!