Bermuda have pulled off one of the greatest upsets in their tennis history, defeating Georgia 3-2 in a pulsating Davis Cup World Group II play-off in Cyprus. In a tie that spanned two days of high drama, the 81st-ranked Bermuda team proved they were no pushovers by taking down a nation ranked 30 places above them in the world standings.
The foundation of this historic victory was built on the incredible endurance of Daniel Phillips. After his three-hour heroics on the opening day, Phillips returned to the court on Saturday morning alongside Trey Mallory for a pivotal doubles rubber.
Ranked 1,531st and 1,827th respectively, the Bermudian duo faced a formidable Georgian pair in Saba Purtseladze and Aleksandre Bakshi. Despite the Georgians firing six aces, the Bermudian pair’s consistency told the story, completing 73% of their first serves to secure a 6-1, 4-6, 6-4 victory in just under two hours.
The win gave Bermuda a 2-1 lead, though Phillips finally appeared to hit a wall in the subsequent reverse singles. Facing the world-ranked 292nd Purtseladze for the second time in the day, a weary Phillips fought valiantly for over 90 minutes but fell in straight sets, 6-4, 6-4, setting the stage for a winner-takes-all decider.
With the tie locked at 2-2, the pressure fell squarely on the shoulders of veteran Wayne Montgomery. Facing a fresh Zura Tkemaladze, Montgomery initially struggled as the Georgian swept through the first set 6-2 in just 37 minutes.
What followed was a display of grit that can only be described as "rolling back the years". Montgomery refused to buckle in the second set, gritting his way to a tie-breaker which he claimed 7-4 to force a decider.
With momentum firmly on his side, Montgomery raced into a 5-1 lead in the final set. While Tkemaladze attempted a late stand, the Bermudian veteran remained composed to close out the set 6-3, in two hours and twenty-five minutes sparking wild celebrations at the Herodotou Tennis Academy.
Bermuda now attains its place in World Group II, marking a new pinnacle for the sport on the island.
