Bermuda's Davis Cup team is back in action in Americas Group III at the Costa Rica Country Club, facing their toughest test yet in a top-of-the-pool clash against unbeaten Bolivia.
The match, expected to conclude well before other sporting events like Premier Division Football or the sailing championships in California, has seen Bolivia take an early lead. Bolivia enters this tie with a perfect record, not having dropped a single game in the tournament so far, while Bermuda also remains unbeaten in ties, but has dropped two individual matches.
Bolivia currently holds a 1-0 lead after the opening singles rubber. Tariq Simons took to the court for the first time in the tournament this year for Bermuda, but he unfortunately fell in straight sets to Juan Carlos Prado Angelo, with a score of 6-1, 6-3.
Bolivia has taken a commanding 2-0 lead in their Davis Cup Americas Group III tie against Bermuda, following Murkel Dellien's straight-sets victory over Trey Mallory.
The second singles rubber saw Dellien defeat Mallory 7-6, 6-1. The loss means Bolivia now holds a significant advantage in the tie.
Bermuda's Davis Cup pair, Phillips and Simons, took to the court attempting to salvage a point and avoid a shutout in their tie against Bolivia, but the doubles match was ultimately halted due to injury.
Phillips and Simons faced the Bolivian duo of Boris Arias and Federico Zeballos. The Bermudian pair went down in the first set 6-4.
However, the match was then brought to a halt with Phillips feeling unwell due to an injury. With the tie already decided and only one match remaining, Captain Ricky Mallory made the decision to halt the match.
The unfortunate end to the doubles rubber means Bermuda has suffered a shutout against the strong Bolivian side. The team will now need to regroup and focus on their remaining match in the Davis Cup Americas Group III competition. The health of Phillips will be a key concern for the Bermudian camp.
