Tennis: Doubles title for NZ pair

Michael Venus. Photo / Sarah Ivey

New Zealand Davis Cup team members Michael Venus and Marcus Daniell warmed up for their tie against Uzbekistan next month with the doubles title at the men's Futures 5 tournament in Turkey on Sunday.

The unseeded pairing defeated third seeded Russian duo Artem Rumyantsev and Dmitri Sitak after a third set tiebreak in Antalya.

Venus and Daniell lost the first set 6-2 before turning the match around to win the second set 6-1. They closed out the match in the tiebreak, winning 11-9.

Both compete in the singles of the Futures 6 tournament in the same city this week with Daniell winning his first round in the qualifying singles while Venus is already in the main draw.

The New Zealand team, which also includes Rubin Statham and Artem Sitak, play their Asia Oceania group 1 Davis Cup tie from March 4-6 in Namangan.

- NZPA