Australia wrap up Davis Cup tie over Japan

Lleyton Hewitt and Paul Hanley wrapped up Australia’s Davis Cup tie with Japan Saturday with a straight-sets doubles victory to qualify for the World Group playoffs.

The 7-5, 6-4, 6-0 win win gave Australia an unbeatable 3-0 lead in the best-of-five tie, with Sunday’s two return singles matches to come.

The home nation, playing the Japanese on a specially laid claycourt surface on Pat Rafter Arena, led 2-0 after Hewitt and Carsten Ball won their opening day singles in the Asia/Oceania Group I clash in straight sets on Friday.

Despite the lead captain John Fitzgerald did not take any chances, replacing Ball with former world number one Hewitt in his doubles line-up to wrap up the tie.

Hewitt, currently ranked 29, showed his big-match experience by helping absorb early resistance to eventually overpower the Japanese in 114 minutes.

Hewitt and Hanley have a 4-1 Cup doubles record together, with their only loss coming in a World Group playoff against Serbia in Belgrade in 2007.

Hewitt said Australia were mounting a bid for qualification to the elite group.

“Knowing what we are playing for (motivates us),” Hewitt said.

“At the end of the day, the big picture is getting back into the World Group for next year, and that’s where we think we belong. And we think we have a team that can do it.”

Fitzgerald said he will make a decision on who will play on Sunday as Hewitt looks to return to Europe to continue his French Open preparations.