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Australian No1 Bernard Tomic has levelled the Davis Cup tie against the United States with a rollercoaster win over Jack Sock. Tomic survived a Sock fightback on Friday to take the World Group first-round match at Kooyong, 7-6 (7-2) 6-3 3-6 6-4.
Earlier, Australia’s Sam Groth fell to fellow big-server American John Isner 7-6 (7-2) 6-2 6-2 in the opening singles rubber.
Tomic looked on target for a comfortable win but lost his way in the searing Melbourne heat to allow Sock back into the match. The pair went toe-to-toe in the fourth set before Tomic broke Sock at 4-4, with world No20 Tomic serving out the match.
Tomic said he found it difficult adjusting to the conditions on the temporary grasscourt after arriving earlier in the week from Mexico. “It was tough for me the last three days coming on grass,” Tomic said after beating the world No24. “The conditions were so tough.”
Sock had won their previous two meetings and, with the Cup tie effectively hanging on the result, Tomic said he didn’t want to let down Davis Cup great Lleyton Hewitt in his first tie as captain. Groth and debutant John Peers are set to take on brothers Mike and Bob Bryan on Saturday in the doubles rubber.
