Kaukovalta’s Doubles Victory Helps Advance Finland to the Final 8 at the Davis Cup
9/16/2023 8:53:00 PM | Men's Tennis
With the help of his upset, three-set doubles victory, Kaukovalta and the Finns will make their first-ever appearance in the Final 8 in late November
SPLIT, Croatia –– Alabama alum Patrick Kaukovalta won a three-set doubles battle in the final round of Group Play at the Davis Cup, helping Finland advance to its first-ever Final 8 appearance.
After Kaukovalta and partner Harri Heliovaara dropped the opening set off an 8-6 tiebreak, the duo came back to win a second-set tiebreaker and the 10-point third set at 6-7 (6), 7-6 (5), 10-8 for the win. The duo defeated the United States' standout and three-time US Open doubles champion, Rajeev Ram, and topped-ranked doubles player in the world and 2023 French Open champion, Austin Krajicek, in the match.
Finland advanced to the Final 8 for its first time in the Davis Cup. The competition will be held Nov. 21-26 in Malaga, Spain.
???? First time in the Final 8 ????@EmilRuusuvuori defeats Paul and Finland secure their place in the Quarter Finals in November!#DavisCup | @tennisfi pic.twitter.com/6XoVP9FVRj
— Davis Cup (@DavisCup) September 16, 2023
About the Match
- Finland battled back to take a 6-7 (6), 7-6 (5), 10-8 victory over the United States
- Kaukovalta and Heliovaara defeated the top-ranked doubles player in the world Krajicek and the fifth-ranked doubles opponent Ram in the match
- The win advances Finland to its first-ever Final 8 appearance at the Davis Cup, which will be held in Malaga, Spain, November 21-26
- Additionally, Kaukovalta's win helped sweep the United States as Finland took a 3-0 victory in the match which included a straight set win from Emil Ruusuvuori (7-6-(1), 6-4) and a three-set victory from Otto Virtanen (7-6 (5), 1-6, 7-6 (7))
- Finland also defeated Croatia 2-1 earlier in the tournament after falling 2-1 to the Netherlands in the opening round
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