South Korea have beaten New Zealand 3-1 in the Davis Cup World Group 1 tie at the International Tennis Hall of Fame at Newport in Rhode Island.
Tokyo Olympic bronze medallists Michael Venus and Marcus Daniell gave New Zealand a glimmer of hope with a hard-fought victory in the doubles rubber. But Korean No 1 Kwon Soonwoo proved too strong for Rubin Statham in the first of the reverse singles rubbers to give Korea an unassailable 3-1 lead.
The world No 83 won 6-3 6-3, underlying his class from the baseline by coming from 3-2 down in the first set and rattling off the next four games to take the set.
Kwon broke Statham in his second service game of the second set for a 3-1 lead before Statham, with a couple of stinging returns, broke for the first time in the match.
However, a couple of loose points on serve in the next game handed the break straight back. Statham had another break point chance in the next game, but Kwon held serve and went on to close out the match.
