Israel beats Slovenia in Davis Cup tennis

Israel beat Slovenia in Davis Cup tennis in Tel Aviv on Saturday in a first-round Group I Europe/Africa playoff match, maintaining its position in the group, but with no chance of advancing in the world tournament this year.

Israel took an unassailable 3-0 lead in the best of five match, winning Saturday’s doubles, with the two final singles games to be played Sunday.

Israel’s top ranked player Dudi Sela — 90th in the world — and Ben Patael beat Slovenia’s Aljaz Radinski and Grega Zemlja Saturday in straight sets, 6-1, 6-2, 6-4.

Sela had easily won his singles match 6-1, 6-3, 6-2 against Nik Razborsek on Friday, and Amir Weintraub crucially defeated Grega Zemlja in a five-set thriller, 6-3, 6-2, 1-6, 6-7 (3), 6-4.

Sela and Weintraub are set to play the reverse singles against their Slovenian opponents on Sunday at the Drive In Arena in Tel Aviv.