Belgium took a commanding 2-0 lead over Italy after the first day of the Davis Cup quarter final on Indoor hard-court at the Spirodome in Charleroi and is one win away from reaching their second semifinal in the past three years. “Mr Davis Cup” Steve Darcis fought back from losing the first set to beat Paolo Lorenzi 6-7 6-1 6-1 7-6 in three hours and 20 minutes before David Goffin beat Andreas Seppi in straight sets 6-4 6-3 6-3.
Darcis has extended his winning streak in the Davis Cup by beating Paolo Lorenzi in the opening singles rubber. Darcis, who beat Phillip Kohlschreiber and Alexander Zverev in both his singles matches against Germany last February, earned two break points in the third game of the first set. Lorenzi saved them including hitting an ace on the second chance. Lorenzi saved three more break points in the seventh game. The Italian raced out to a 5-0 lead. Darcis won three consecutive points to claw his way back to 3-5 but Lorenzi hit an ace and sealed the next point to clinch the tie-break as Darcis hit his backhand into the net.
Darcis held his serve at deuce in the first game of the second set before winning 16 of his next 20 points to race out to a 5-0 lead with two breaks of serve in the second and fourth game. At 5-1 the Belgian player held his service game at deuce to close out the second set 6-1.
Darcis broke serve to 30 in the third game of the third set, as Lorenzi hit his backhand into the net after a long rally. He got two more breaks in the fifth game as Lorenzi made a double fault on the break point and in the seventh game to close out the third set 6-1.
At 2-3 15-40 in the fourth game Lorenzi saved two break points. The Italian missed a break point in the sixth game the Italian got his first break of the match on his second opportunity to 30 at 4-4.
In the ninth game Lorenzi made a double fault at 5-4 15-30 and dropped his serve at 30, as Darcis hit a forehand passing shot on the break point.
In the tie-break Darcis hit a backhand passing shot on the first point. He cruised through to 6-0 lead. Lorenzi saved the first four match points but hit his backhand into the net at 4-6 after a long rally.
David Goffin earned Belgium the 2-0 lead after beating Andreas Seppi in the second singles match. Seppi got the first break of the match to 30 in the third game at 4-2. In the eighth game Goffin broke back at deuce on his fourth break point. The Belgian star got another break at deuce in the 10th game after Seppi made a costly double fault.
Goffin broke to 15 in the second game and went up a double break in the fourth game to race out to a 4-1 lead. Goffin saved a break point at 4-2 after a long game and held his service game.
At 5-3 Goffin held his serve to 15 to close out the secon set, after Seppi mishit a backhand volley on the set point.
Seppi dropped his serve in the first game but broke back in the fourth game to draw level to 2-2. Goffin got two more breaks in the fifth and ninth games to close the third set 6-3, as Seppi hit his backhand into the net on the first match point.