Sugita win keeps Japan in world group

Osaka - Yuichi Sugita thrashed Thiago Monteiro on Monday as Japan preserved their Davis Cup world group status by wrapping up a comfortable playoff victory over Brazil in Osaka. 

Celebrating his 29th birthday, world number 42 Sugita thrashed Monteiro 6-3, 6-2, 6-3 to give the home side an unassailable 3-1 lead in the best-of-five tie after Brazil had given themselves a lifeline by winning the doubles. 

Marcelo Melo and Bruno Soares overpowered Yasutaka Uchiyama and Kiwi-born Ben McLachlan 7-6 6-4 6-2 in a rubber delayed by 48 hours because of heavy rain at the weekend with Japan on the brink of victory. 

But Sugita, who became only the third Japanese man after Shuzo Matsuoka and Kei Nishikori to capture an ATP tour title in Turkey two months ago, produced a clinical display to dash Brazilian hopes of a comeback in the reverse singles. 

Japan took a 2-0 lead after Friday's opening singles when Sugita beat Guilherme Clezar 6-2, 7-5, 7-6 and Go Soeda squeezed past Thiago Monteiro in five sets. 

The teams agreed to scratch Soeda's dead rubber against Clezar.