Chris Symes/Photosport
Dimitar Kuzmanov celebrates winning a point against Ajeet Rai in front of Bulgarian supporters at Wilding Park on Sunday.
Bulgaria overcame a three-hour rain delay and gritty Kiwi resistance to relegate New Zealand to World Group Two of tennis’ Davis Cup.
Spurred on by a parochial Christchurch Bulgarian community, the visitors booked a World Group 1 clash in September, triumphing 3-1 at Wilding Park on Sunday.
New Zealand gave themselves hope with experienced duo Michael Venus and Artem Sitak beginning Sunday by winning the doubles rubber in three sets. They prevailed 6-4 3-6 6-3 against Bulgarian duo Alexander Donski and Petr Nesterov to make it 2-1 in the tie.
Ajeet Rai was unable to pull off an upset reverse singles win over Dimitar Kuzmanov late on Sunday afternoon after rain had halted play for three hours and 18 minutes.
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Rai delivered another gritty showing, taking Kuzmanov to three sets, but was beaten 6-3, 5-7, 6-4 in three hours, six minutes.
After losing the opening set, Rai showed plenty of grit, fighting back from 3-2 down to capture the second set 7-5 and send it to a decider. The Taranaki lad broke Kuzmanov’s serve in the sixth game to level at 3-3 and only grew in confidence from there, also breaking his serve in the 12th to seal the set.
Chris Symes/Photosport
New Zealand’s Ajeet Rai celebrates his second set victory over Bulgaria’s Dimitar Kuzmanov in the Davis Cup on Sunday.
In just his sixth Davis Cup tie, a pumped up Rai put a brave fight in the second set, taking it to Kuzmanov and causing him problems.
Kuzmanov delivered a decisive blow in the fifth game of the third set, breaking Rai’s serve to move ahead 3-2 and held on for victory.
The loss dumps New Zealand down to World Group Two of the Davis Cup.
Chris Symes/Photosport
Spectators shelter from the rain in Sunday’s Davis Cup tie at Christchurch’s Wilding Park.
Down 3-1, Kuzmanov, ranked 192nd in the world for singles, rattled off five games on the trot to surge back and capture the first set 6-3 in one hour, four minutes.
The Bulgarian had looked in early trouble, but survived an epic fifth game, where it ebbed and flowed and five deuces were fought out to hold serve.
Chris Symes/Photosport
New Zealand’s Michael Venus and Artem Sitak in action during Sunday’s doubles tie against Bulgaria.
He then broke Rai’s serve in the next game with the Kiwi producing three double faults in his service game. With Kuzmanov playing confident and accurate tennis, he refused to allow Rai any opportunity to claw his way back.
Kuzmanov broke Rai’s serve in the third game of the second set to establish a 2-1 advantage, but the gritty Kiwi refused to go away.
In the doubles, the crucial moment of the match came in the sixth game of the third set with Venus and Sitak breaking Nesterov’s serve to surge ahead 4-2. They then held serve and managed to close out a pivotal win.
After Venus and Sitak claimed the opening set 6-4, Bulgaria roared back into the match.
The Bulgarians played their most consistent tennis of the match in the second set, frustrating the Kiwi combination. In the eighth game of the second set, they broke Venus’ serve, after trailing 30-0, to jump out to a 5-3 advantage, which they never surrendered.
New Zealand headed into the second day of the tie in a 2-0 hole after dropping both singles rubbers on Saturday in the sweltering Christchurch heat.
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