Belgium will need two wins on Sunday to clinch the country's first Davis Cup Final since 1904. Argentina is just one win away from their fifth Davis Cup final.
Argentina Rolls Early
The Argentine duo of Leonardo Mayer and Carlos Berlocq took an early advantage with the Belgium's Ruben Bemelmans struggling on serve. An opening break for Argentina in the first game was quickly consolidated for an early 2-0 lead. Ruben Bemelmans and Steve Darcis could scarcely find a chance off the Argentine's serves as the set quickly rolled through to a 4-2 score line. Mayer and Berlocq again pounced on some faulty serving as they broke Steve Darcis' service game at love for a 5-2 lead. The set would end 6-2 in favor of Argentina. Mayer and Berlocq were all over the serves of Bemelmans and Darcis in this set, winning 16 of the 30 points played on the Belgians serves.
Serve Trouble For Both Teams In Set Two
The Argentines again drew first blood as they broke in the third game for a 2-1 lead. The set looked all but lost for Belgium by the seventh game as Argentina secured a second break for a 5-2 lead. Things would then get wobbly for Mayer and Berlocq as both men dropped service games late in the set. That allowed Darcis and Bemelmans to rally back to even the set at 5-5 and they took their fourth straight game for a 6-5 lead. Berlocq would hold easily in the 12th game to send the set to a tie break. It would be Argentina, behind Berlocq's solid play at the net, who would score the first breaks of serve in the tie break as they bolted to a 4-1 lead. They would finish the breaker out 7-2 for a two sets to love lead.
Belgians Ramp Up Service Games
Both Bemelmans and Darcis finally showed some solid serving in the third set as the two teams battled even to 2-2. Both Berlocq and Mayer would allow two break chances in their service games in the middle of the set. The Belgians could not take advantage; however, as the set weaved its way on serve to the 11th game. That is where Bemelmans and Darcis pounced for a break at love of Berlocq. They would take the set 7-5 and give themselves some life in the match. For the set, the Belgian duo won all 16 of their first serve points and took advantage of 19 unforced errors by the Argentines.
Fourth Set Bounces From Side To Side
The first four games of the set featured tidy service holds from both sides to 2-2. In game five, the Belgians saw four break points but could not get the job done. Bemelmans and Darcis gave the crowd reason to cheer with a love break in the seventh game as they took a 4-3 lead. The service issues returned for Belgium though as they gave that break back in the next game. In the tenth game, it was match point for Argentina. Both Darcis and Bemelmans dug deep with big shots to help hold and move the set to 5-5. The set would wind up in another tie break. An early mini break went to the Argentines for a 2-0 lead, but Belgium would battle back to even the breaker at 4-4. After a service hold, Belgium again faced a match point with Darcis able to come up with a forehand winner to cut the deficit to 6-5. A third match point for Argentina would seal the rubber though as a Darcis return of serve went long to hand Argentina a 7-5 win in the tie break.
Sunday's Reverse Singles Rubbers
With Argentina ahead 2-1, it will be on Belgium's David Goffin to keep his team alive in the first singles fixture on Sunday. He faces Leonardo Mayer. If necessary, the final singles fixture is scheduled to be Steve Darcis against Federico Delbonis. It could come down to a war of attrition with both Mayer and Darcis likely to be battling fatigue after both have played on successive days.