Ajeet Rai and Finn Reynolds won the crucial doubles match against Georgia. File photo. Photo: www.photosport.nz
Boom-serving James Watt has clinched New Zealand's Davis Cup World Group II tie against Georgia, with an emphatic singles win in Palmerston North on Sunday.
Buoyed by the grit shown by teammates Ajeet Rai and Finn Reynolds, who came from set down to win the doubles match, Watt beat Aleksandre Bakshi 7-6(3) 6-2 to give New Zealand a 3-1 victory.
New Zealand now progress to a World Group I playoff next year, while Georgia will have a Group II playoff.
Watt, 25, played well above his world ranking of 569 with a great tournament, beating Zura Tkemaladze in the opening rubber in the Fly Palmy Arena on Saturday and then proving too strong for Bakshi, who was the highest-ranked Georgian player available for the tie.
Bakshi had defeated Jack Toutit in straight sets to leave the tie at 1-1 after Saturday's matches.
Rai and Reynolds then swung the tie back in New Zealand's favour, with a thrilling win over Bakshi and Alexandre Metreveli 5-7 6-2 7-6(4).
With Watt's subsequent win over Bakshi, the fifth rubber between Toutit and Tkemaladze was deemed unnecessary.
Rai, Reynolds and Toutit rushed onto the court to hug Watt, after his win over Bakshi.
Watt thanked the Palmerston North crowd for their support and his teammates for inspiring him.
"This is a dream come true for me,'' Watt told Sky Sport.
Watt blasted 13 aces in his second win and said his big serve was the key to his victory.
"I got up there and thought, 'I am going to go after it'. It got me out of a few sticky situations and got me through in the end as well."
Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
