17 September 2016 | Kristina Prentoska

Australia have secured their place in the 2017 Davis Cup World Group with an emphatic playoff win over Slovakia in Sydney.

Sam Groth and John Peers combined to secure Australia’s spot with victory in the doubles rubber.

The Australian’s beat Slovakia’s Andrej Martin and Igor Zelenay 6-4 6-2 6-7(3) 7-6(2) at Sydney Olympic Park to give Australia an unassailable 3-0 lead.

The Australian’s took control of the match early, winning the first and second sets comfortably in under an hour. Teaming up for the first time at Davis Cup level, Groth and Peers looked in cruise control, before a shift in momentum saw the Slovakian’s push the third set to a tie break. The visitors quickly raced to a 3-0 lead and held off any pressure to win the tiebreak 7-3.

The atmosphere was tense in the fourth set, with another tiebreak to potentially decide the match and the tie. The Aussie duo weren’t to be caught off guard again, racing out to a 5-0 lead and before serving out the match in two hours and twenty-one minutes.

After making his debut in a five set loss to the USA’s Bryan brothers earlier this year, the win secured Peers his first Davis Cup point.

“I had a great experience with Lleyton in Kooyong, didn’t quite get over the line but to get the first point in Australia was something I’ll never forget,” he said.

Captain Lleyton Hewitt was happy with the team’s performance, indicating the win was the start of the 2017 journey towards hopefully lifting the Davis Cup.

“Really happy, you know as a team that was our goal once we lost to the US in March. It’s nice that we were able to get through, 3-0 makes it pretty special. All the boys went out there and participated and got a win as well.

“A lot of work went in for this tie, the boys came, they prepared early, they did all the right things. We did absolutely everything in our power to get this outcome, and that’s why I’m thrilled for the whole squad,” Hewitt said.

“We expect that we can go deep (in the World Group), this group wants to try and get our hands on the Davis Cup. It’s been quite a while since we’ve had an opportunity to play in a final and I know from experience I’d love these boys to have that experience, and going out there and playing for Australia.”

Australia’s unbeatable lead renders Sunday’s reverse singles rubbers dead and they will be reduced to best-of-three tiebreak sets.

Hoping to win the Davis Cup for the first time since 2003, Australia will learn who they face in the first round next year following Tuesday’s draw in London.