LJUBLJANA, September 16, 2023

Slovenia lost the Davis Cup tie in World Group II 3-2 to Luxembourg. Chris Rodesch secured the decisive fifth point for Luxembourg by defeating Bor Artnak.

The second day of the competition at TC Tivoli in Ljubljana began with the doubles match, which was won by the Luxembourg team. Blaž Rola later equalized the score to 2-2 with a dominant performance in his singles match. However, the final decision about the winner was determined in the last, fifth rubber. Artnak lost to Rodesch 6-2, 7-6(3).

“Every defeat in the Davis Cup is very painful. We knew the tie would be close, as all players have similar rankings. There were many decisive moments, and things could have been different if Bor Artnak had won the second set on the first day when he already had a break advantage. I had higher expectations for the doubles match as well. We must draw some positive conclusions from this defeat and approach the next matches with the same enthusiasm. We have gained new experiences. The quality of Rola was evident, but the others still have room for improvement. Currently, we are at the level of the second group, and we simply are not yet of sufficient quality to compete at a higher level against stronger opponents,” said Slovenia’s Davis Cup captain Grega Žemlja.

Rola contributed both points for Slovenia in this Davis Cup tie, adding to his successful performances in doubles earlier this year at the ATP tournament in Umag and a Challenger event in Austria. “Two wins in the Davis Cup don’t guarantee victory. We are somewhat disappointed that we didn’t do better in the doubles match. It’s a shame because we expected more, even though we knew it would be tough. The winners were decided by small details and composure in crucial moments. We missed our opportunities on Friday and in the doubles,” said Rola, who immediately headed to a new tournament in Austria after the match.

DAVIS CUP, WORLD GROUP II Ljubljana:

Slovenia – Luxembourg 2-3

Bor Artnak – Alex Knaff 6-3, 6-7(5), 2-6

Blaž Rola – Chris Rodesch 7-6(3), 6-2

Sebastian Dominko/Blaž Rola – Alex Knaff/Chris Rodesch 5-7, 4-6

Blaž Rola – Alex Knaff 6-4, 6-2

Bor Artnak – Chris Rodesch 2-6, 6-7(3)