Ghorbel Claims First Davis Cup Victory

Photo by: Troy University

7/10/2011 12:00:00 AM | Tennis (M)

By: Travis Jarome

Sami Ghorbel claimed his first Davis Cup victory of his short career, as he claimed a doubles win for his home country this weekend.

Ireland's Davis Cup team have left themselves with a massive task after losing the doubles rubber in the relegation play-off against Tunisia at David Lloyd Riverview in Clonskeagh yesterday.

Conor Niland and James Cluskey tumbled to a 6-4, 7-6 (7-4), 7-6 (7-5) defeat by the opposition duo, Malek Jaziri and Ghorbel, after two hours and 53 minutes.

Yesterday's result gives the North Africans a 2-1 lead in the five-match tie, meaning the Irish have to win both of today's reverse singles to avoid dropping down to Group Three of the Europe-Africa Zone in 2012 for the first time since 2007.

In those, Niland faces Jaziri in the opener and Barry King takes on Ghorbel.