DAVIS CUP - WORLD GROUP - 1ST PLAY-OFF ROUND - WEST CWLAND VS. EAST CWLAND - STEDINGHAM, FR CWLAND
Davis and Rivers earn consolation wins for West CWLand
Substitute singles players
Heath Davis and
Scotland Rivers have added a bit of respectability to the card as they gave West CWLand their only points in crushing dead rubber wins. With the tie already decided yesterday, both countries gave opportunities to their untested singles players in a fairly dull Sunday of play.
With decidedly fewer people in attendance, Davis started things off by blitzing World No. 31
Jamee Hancianu in straight sets. After a frustrating weekend for the Westerner, the win over a quality clay court player no doubt filled Davis with confidence as he proved too much in a 6-1, 6-4 upset of sorts. Hancianu was clearly lacking intensity early and only managed to pick it up late in the second by which time it was too late to earn a Davis Cup win as he fell in straight sets.
Whilst there were rumours
Randy Smeltz would give the paying customers something to see in the fifth rubber, in the end Rivers would face doubles player
Martti Korpinen in an uninspiring affair. Rivers, left out of the first rubbers to much controversy, never looked troubled against the inexperienced singles player as he dominated the match for a 6-2, 6-2 win.
Next for the East is a Spanish team in Spain, with the sixth seeds waiting on news of
Daniel Páez Blanco's health. The West are seeded one in the Europe/Africa Zone, and have a bye in early March before a showdown with either Denmark or South Africa.
Heath Davis def. 
Jamee Hancianu, 6-1, 6-4
Scotland Rivers def. Martti Korpinen, 6-2, 6-2
