Germany reach Davis Cup Finals

Germany clinched their place in the Davis Cup Finals when Kevin Krawietz and Tim Pütz won the doubles rubber of their qualifier against Japan on Saturday.

ATP Finals winners Krawietz and Pütz saved three set points in the second set as they defeated Yosuke Watanuki and Takeru Yuzuki 6-3, 7-6 (7-4) in Tokyo.

The victory gave Germany an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-rubber tie in the absence of top star Aleander Zverev, who needed a break after the North American hard court season which culminated in the US Open.

Germany won with opening singles rubbers on Friday when Jan-Lennard Struff edged Yoshito Nishioka 6-4, 6-7 (4-7), 6-4 and Yannick Hanfmann beat Shintaro Mochizuki 6-3, 6-3.

The finals take place November 18-23 finals in Bologna. It remains to be seen if world number three Zverev will be available again then and help Germany win the team event for the first time since 1993.