Russia sets up group final with Spain in Davis Cup
Second-ranked Daniil Medvedev helped Russia beat Ecuador at the Davis Cup finals on Saturday, setting up a clash with Spain to decide which will go through as a group winner.
Medvedev eased past Emilio Gomez 6-0, 6-2 after breaking his serve five times to give Russia an insurmountable 2-0 lead.
“I wanted to keep it clean from the first to the last point of the match and I am happy to bring the point to the team,” the U.S. Open champion said.
Teammate Andrey Rublev started the tie with a more difficult than expected 6-3, 4-6, 6-1 win over Roberto Quiroz.
Russia and defending champion Spain have one point in Group A, which is being played in Madrid. They will meet in the Spanish capital on Sunday with expectations of a good crowd.
Elsewhere: Britain downed France 2-1 after winning both singles in Innsbruck. Daniel Evans
bettered Adrian Mannarino 7-5, 6-4, while Cameron Norrie beat Arthur Rinderknech 6-2, 7-6 . ... Sweden was one win away from advancing from Group B after Elias Ymer hit nine aces to beat Mikhail Kukushkin 6-3, 7-6 in the first singles against Kazakhstan, played in Madrid . ... Australia staved off elimination after coming from behind to top Hungary 2-1 in Turin. Hungary’s Zsombor Piros beat John Millman 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, but Alex de
AMinaur evened it up after outlasting Marton Fucsovics in over three hours, 7-5, 2-6, 7-6.
ETC.
NHL: The NHL has postponed two more games for coronavirusrelated reasons, making it five so far this season. Sunday’s New York Islanders game at the Rangers and Tuesday at the Philadelphia Flyers were postponed after additional members of the team went into the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol.
MLB: Wander Franco
and the Tampa Bay Rays finalized a record-breaking contract, one that guarantees the 20-year-old, multi-talented phenom $182 million over 11 years and potentially $223 million over 12 . ... The New York Mets bolstered their lineup with three free-agent deals, adding speedy center fielder Starling Marte
to go along with Mark Canha and All-Star infielder Eduardo Escobar.
... The Seattle Mariners are acquiring second baseman Adam Frazier from the San Diego Padres in exchange for minor league prospects: left-handed pitcher Ray Kerr and outfielder Corey Rosier.
Golf: South African golfer Thriston Lawrence won the Joburg Open at Johannesburg, after the third round was abandoned because of bad weather, meaning the result was called after 36 holes of the inaugural event on the DP World Tour. The event had been reduced to a 54-hole tournament late Friday to help non-South African resident players, caddies and support staff at the tournament return to their home
AAAcountries, a move triggered by international travel restrictions being imposed on South Africa because of the emergence of a new COVID-19 variant in the country. Lawrence had a fourshot lead at the end of the second round, having shot 65-65 to be 12 under par overall. He claimed his first win on what was formerly named the European Tour, earning the No. 503-ranked player full membership.
Soccer: After 21 years since last playing in Australia, the United States women’s soccer team needed only 24 seconds to score against the Matildas. Turns out that was all the newlook American side needed in a 3-0 win at Sydney’s Olympic stadium before a Matildas-record crowd of 36,109. Ashley Hatch scored her first international goal when Australia’s defense failed to clear the ball from the opening kickoff, and Hatch found herself one-on-one with goalkeeper
Teagen Micah. Hatch calmly slotted a low shot to the right of Micah. Rose Lavelle scored the second American goal in the 49th minute and captain Lindsey Horan finished the scoring from a penalty in the 68th . ... Lille striker
Jonathan David missed a penalty in the French league as the hopes of the defending champion to get back in the race for European spots took a blow after drawing with mid-table Nantes 1-1.
Winter sports: Austria’s
Matthias Mayer won the season-opening World Cup men’s downhill at Lake Louise, Alberta. Mayer finished in 1 minute, 47.74 seconds. Fellow Austrian
Vincent Kreichmayr was second . ... Kamila Valieva headed a Russian women’s podium sweep at the figure
AAskating Rostelecom Cup at Sochi, Russia . ... Germany’s Francesco Friedrich has extended his streak to 34 consecutive World Cup two-man races with a medal, guiding his sled to an easy win over countryman Johannes Lochner.