Indonesia, powered by Christopher Rungkat, who frequently trains in Cambodia, staved off Hong Kong 3-1 in a play-off to retain their Asia/Oceania Group II status for 2015.
Hong Kong, promoted to Group II last year in Dubai after being bracketed with Cambodia in the promotional play-off, will drop down to Group III in their next campaign.
Playing on the hard courts of Jakarta’s Gelora Bung Karno Tennis Stadium, where he has played some of his best Davis Cup matches, Rungkat won a five-set thriller against Hong Kong’s leading player Philip King in the fourth rubber on Sunday to wipe out relegation worries.After King took the first set with a measure of comfort raising hopes of Hong Kong levelling the rubber scores at 2-2, Rungkat steadily worked his way back to take the next two before King drove the finish to a fifth set.
The Indonesian, however, wrested with great gusto to complete a 1-6, 6-3, 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 victory and give the hosts a winning 3-1 lead.
The dead fifth rubber between Indonesia’s Aditya Hari Sasongko and David Catala Celasco was abondoned due to rain with the home player leading 6-1, 4-1.
Indonesia and Hong Kong shared the opening singles on Friday. Rungkat brushed aside Ognian Kolev 7-6, 6-4, 6-4 to give Indonesia a 1-0 advantage but in the second singles, King stayed strong and sturdy to down Agung Susanto 6-2, 2-6, 7-6, 6-1.
Saturday’s doubles rubber went the full distance before the Indonesian pair of Rungkat and Elbert Sie edged out King and Kolev 6-4, 6-1, 5-7, 3-6, 6-3 to carry a 2-1 lead to the reverse singles.
Cambodia will head to Tehran for the week commencing June 9, where they will be pitted against fellow Asia/Oceania Zone Group III rivals including hosts Iran, Lebanon, Malaysia, Singapore, Syria, Turkmenistan and UAE.
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