With the tie finely balanced after the opening day, South Africa found themselves under pressure when Montenegro struck first on Sunday by claiming the crucial doubles rubber. South African captain Pietie Norval opted for a late reshuffle to his pairing, bringing Henning in alongside Thando Longwe-Smit to face Petar Jovanovic and Aleksa Krivokapic.

The move, however, did not have the desired effect, as the Montenegrins proved too strong, using their powerful serving to secure a 6-2, 7-6 victory and move 2-1 ahead in the tie.

South African Davis Cup Team - Barco Greeff

The Bloemfontein born and bred Henning responded in the best possible fashion in the reverse singles, restoring parity for the hosts with a composed 6-3, 6-2 win over Jovanovic. The result set up a tense final rubber, with Beckley carrying the weight of expectation against Krivokapic.

The young South African appeared to be in trouble early on, trailing 5-2 in the opening set, but he showed immense grit and belief to claw his way back. Beckley forced a tiebreak and went on to claim the first set before sealing a memorable 7-6, 6-3 victory, sparking jubilant scenes as the home crowd rose to celebrate a dramatic turnaround.

Henning conceded that he and Longwe-Smit were second best in the doubles encounter but praised Montenegro’s execution.

“They’ve got big serves and in doubles that makes a massive difference,” Henning said.

“They came out firing and played really well. We hung in there in the second set and had our chances, but sometimes that’s just how it goes.”

The South African number one was delighted to bounce back in singles and reserved special praise for his teammate.

“I was happy with my singles performance and glad I could put us back in the fight. Alec was unbelievable - the way he turned that match around was special and I couldn’t be prouder of him.”

Alec Beckley - Barco Greeff

Beckley was quickly mobbed by his teammates after clinching the decisive point. Having been disappointed after his singles defeat the previous day, the comeback victory was particularly satisfying.

“I knew if I started thinking about the score at 5-2 it could go south quickly,” Beckley admitted. 

“I just focused on finding my rhythm and staying loose. Once I got the break back, I told myself to stay in the moment and fight for every point.”

Norval hailed his side’s resilience and composure, saying the victory was significant not only for the team but for South African tennis as a whole.

“We had to work incredibly hard for this win. There were moments when they were better than us, but the guys never stopped believing,” he said.

“To come through a tie like this at home is huge, and staying in World Group II gives us the chance to keep pushing towards our long-term goals. Wins like these are vital for the growth of tennis in South Africa.”

The result that ensured South Africa retained their place in World Group II of the Davis Cup.

Morgan Piek OFM Sport