Moldovan national tennis team: Andrei Ciumac, Andrei Gorban, Ilia Snitari (from left to right) // Photo: fntm.md
The first opponent of the Moldovan tennis players were representatives of Armenia. Andrei Gorban defeated Avetik Gazaryan in three sets (3:6, 6:2, 6:0). In the next match, Ilija Snitsar gave Mikayel Avanesyan only one game (6:1, 6:0), and then in a pair with captain Andrei Ciumac defeated Avanesyan and Henrik Nikoghosyan 6:1, 6:4. As a result, the Moldovan national team won a resounding 3:0 victory.
The second victory was achieved over the tennis players from Malta, although in the first meeting 41-year-old Andrei Gorban lost in three sets to 24-year-old Liam Delicata (2:6, 6:4, 1:6). In the second match, the youngest member of the Moldovan national team, 23-year-old Ilia Snitari defeated 20-year-old Alex de Gabriele in two sets (6:2, 6:2). In doubles, Ilya, together with 40-year-old Andrei Ciumac, brought the team the final victory by defeating de Gabriele and Delicata (6:3, 6:3).
Our tennis players lost all the remaining matches, having managed to impose the fight only to the hosts of the group tournament – the national team of North Macedonia. Gorban lost to Stefan Mikov (3:6, 4:6), while Snitsar defeated Kalin Ivanovski (6:3, 6:2). The fate of the confrontation was decided in doubles, where Chumak and Snitsar, having won the second set, failed to bring the match to victory (4:6, 7:6, 3:6).
The Latvians, winners of the group tournament, lost to Moldova in only one match. Roberts Strombachs was defeated by Snitsar (1:6, 2:6), but in the pairing with Carls Ozolins defeated Snitsar and Gorban in the deciding match (1:6, 6:4, 6:2). Against Montenegro, two out of three matches were played after Snitzer was injured against Peter Jovanovic and left the tournament at 1-2 in the first set.
The top three teams (see table) will play in the playoffs to qualify for World Group 2 (Europe Zone). The Moldovan team, which took the fourth final place, retains its place in the third world group, while the two worst teams of the tournament dropped to the fourth group.
It should be noted that the Moldovan team was represented by only three tennis players, while it was opposed by teams of four or five athletes. Our team was the only one in which the captain (Andrei Ciumac) participated in the matches as a player. Usually, the captain directs the actions of his wards and does not go out on the court.
Participants of the tournament in the third world group do not receive prize money. The total prize money for this year’s Davis Cup is $7.5 million. The money is distributed among the eight national teams participating in the final tournament. Winners receive $2.6 million, finalists – $1.6 million, and semifinalists (third – fourth place) – a little more than $1 million. The prize money is distributed among the participants of the national team in equal shares.
“Davis Cup” – the world’s leading tournament among men’s national tennis teams. It has been held annually since 1900. The current leader of the world ranking is the Italian national team.
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All matches of the third world group (zone “Europe”) of the “Davis Cup” and the final standings |
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Latvia |
Montenegro | Northern Macedonia | Moldova | Malta | Armenia | W | L |
S |
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| 1 | Latvia |
|
2:1 | 2:1 | 2:1 | 3:0 | 3:0 | 5 | 0 |
12:3 |
| 2 | Montenegro |
1:2 |
3:0 | 3:0 | 3:0 | 3:0 | 4 | 1 |
13:2 |
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| 3 | North Macedonia |
1:2 |
0:3 | 2:1 | 3:0 | 3:0 | 3 | 2 |
9:6 |
|
| 4 | Moldova |
1:2 |
0:3 | 1:2 | 2:1 | 3:0 | 2 | 3 |
7:8 |
|
| 5 | Malta |
0:3 |
0:3 | 0:3 | 1:2 | 3:0 | 1 | 4 |
4:11 |
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| 6 | Armenia |
0:3 |
0:3 | 0:3 | 0:3 | 0:3 | 0 | 5 |
0:15 |
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