Chile started off on the right foot against Slovenia for the Davis Cup and won 2-0 at home, for qualifying Group 1. In the first game of the series, Alejandro Tabilo (98th ATP) beat the young Bor Artnak (1,777th) in a hard-fought match. with partials of 6-3 and 6-3, in Viña del Mar, on clay. Then, Nicolás Jarry (146th) beat Blaz Rola (179th) by 6-3, 3-6 and 7-5.
Although the score was quite expressive, the process of the game was not easy for the Chilean-Canadian. The first sets were back and forth, with the 17-year-old Slovenian showing a great level and a lot of confidence.
The meeting was back and forth until the seventh game. Tabilo was up 4-3, while Artnak had the serve in his favor. A long and hard game that went to length finally ended in a break in favor of the Chilean, who went up 5-3.
With the set point in his hands Jano did not fail and in an impeccable eighth game he beat the Slovenian, with a 6-3 in the first round, although he was much more worked than the scoreboard expresses. The second set started in a great way for Tabilo, who translated his high level at the end of the first set into the second, thus, the Chilean quickly took a 4-2 lead.
Again, the seventh game would be important, two unforced errors from the Chilean complicated it and allowed Artnak to pull off a solid discount and make the score 4-3. But this did not cloud Tabilo, who with a perfect game left the fouls behind and was only one game away from victory. The last game would be complex, with the Slovenian tennis player leaving everything to stay alive in the match, even taking it to extra time.
The ninth game was intense, reaching a tough extension where Jano had eight match points, with Artnak risking his life on each point. Finally, showing a great level, Tabilo was able to close the sleeve and the match, winning 6-3 and giving Chile its first point in the series.
Later, Jarry started in a great way in the first set, quickly taking the lead and showing himself to be quite superior to Rola, taking advantage of all his serves, hitting nine aces in the first set.
The sixth game was important for the Chilean, because showing great tennis he broke the Slovenian to take the lead. Jarry did not miss this opportunity and taking advantage of his great serve, even hitting two aces, was able to confirm the break and was up 5-2 in the first set.
Although the Slovenian was able to discount a game, Jarry would stay with the first set after going over Rola in the ninth game, staying with the first set 6-3. The situation would be reversed for the second round, which began quite disputed, reaching 3-3, but in the seventh game the Slovenian showed his best tennis in the match, avoiding the break and going up 3-4.
After this, the Prince was seen nervous, who began to make mistakes and could not recover the rhythm in the second round, being broken by Rola in the eighth game. After this, the Slovenian confirmed the break and won the second set 6-3.
In the third and last game, Jarry came out with the knife between his teeth, showing a great level and a very aggressive game. Capitalizing on his big serve and displaying great fitness, Chile’s number 2 in the Davis Cup quickly moved up 3-1.
However, in the fifth game, Jarry could not extend the advantage, being broken by the Slovenian, who ratified the break with great technique and equalized the score 3-3. On his next serve, Nico hit a perfect game, including two aces. The Slovenian did not find answers before the great serve of the Chilean who once again took the lead.
After this the match became too close, with none of the players wasting their serves, putting the score at 5-5 after three long games. But Jarry would bring out his best tennis in game eleven, making the most of his serve and quickly getting ahead.
Rola had the service, but Jarry was still at a high level, with great responses to the Slovenian’s serves, making his forehand shine, Nico took the set and the match with a 7-5, giving Chile the second point in the series , which seeks to close the series on Saturday, in the doubles duel between Tabilo and Tomás Barrios against Rola and Sebastián Dominko. If it falls, the action will continue with the singles.
