Tiafoe point penalty on match point give Netherlands the win over United States in Davis Cup

Canada, Australia and Czech Republic also score wins in the group stages on Thursday

Paul Haarhuis, Dutch captain at Davis Cup finals in Split, Croatia Image Credit: Imago / Panoramic

September 15, 2023

Netherlands scored a morale-bosting win over the United States in Davis Cup Group action on Thursday with Frances Tiafoe being handed a point penalty for smashing a racquet repeatedly after being match point down in the final set tiebreaker against Tallon Griekspoor.

CRAZY drama to finish 😱

Tiafoe and USA lose the match and tie to a POINT PENALTY!#DavisCup pic.twitter.com/3ZNjxhL0vF
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) September 14, 2023

That resulted in Griekspoor winning the match 6-3, 6-7(7), 7-6(3) to give the Dutch a 2-0 lead after Botic van de Zandschulp defeated Tommy Paul 7-6(2), 6-2 in the first rubber of the tie. The American team of Austin Krajicek and Rajeev Ram defeated Wesley Koolhof and Matwe Middelkoop 6-7(5), 7-6(3), 6-3 to save the Americans from a 3-0 drubbing.

Netherlands have now won both their ties in Group D but will have to wait until their clash against Croatia to determine who goes into the Final 8.

Meanwhile, Canada scored wins in both their singles rubbers against Sweden to win the tie. Vasek Pospisil defeated Leo Borg 7-6(5), 5-7, 6-2 to give his country the early lead and then Gabriel Diallo followed with a 6-4, 6-3 win over Elias Ymer to give the Canadian team the victory. In the doubles rubber, Alexis Galarneau and Pospisil completed the 3-0 sweep with a 7-6(9), 7-6(3) win over Filip Bergevi and Andre Goransson.

Elsewhere, Australia scored a 2-1 win over France after Matthew Ebden and Max Purcell defeated Nicolas Mahut and Edouard Roger-Vasselin 7-5, 6-3 in the deciding doubles rubber. Earlier in the tie, Adrian Mannarino had beaten Purcell 7-6(4), 6-4 before Alex de Minaur brought the Aussies back with a 7-6, 6-3 win over Ugo Humbert 7-6(2), 6-3.

Australia had lost to Great Britain earlier in the week and now face Switzerland as they hopes to qualify for the quarter-finals.

Also, the Czech Republic scored their second consecutive 3-0 win, this time over South Korea. Tomas Machac defeated Seongchan Hong 7-6(8), 4-6, 6-2 while Jiri Lehecka beat Soonwoo Kwon 6-1, 7-5, followed by a win for the Czech in the doubles as well.