Davis Cup: Johansson beats Grosjean

Strasbourg:

Joachim Johansson rallied from a set down to beat Sebastien Grosjean 3-6, 6-1, 6-4, 6-1 and put Sweden level with France at 2-2 in the Davis Cup World Group on Sunday. Johansson, the world number 11, was slow to start and lost the opening set 6-3 to Grosjean in the first of the two single rubbers on Sunday. But Johansson used his strong forehand and booming serve to drag himself back into the contest and levelled the match against the Frenchman, who has been hampered by a series of injuries. After winning the first set, Grosjean seemed to lose confidence and the Swede dictated play and pushed him towards his powerful forehand. Johansson looked more and more at ease and grabbed the third and fourth sets 6-4, 6-1 to win the match and level the scores at 2-2. The deciding match pitted France's Paul-Henri Mathieu against Swede Thomas Johansson. Mathieu was rarely troubled early in the match and seized the first and second sets comfortably. His pace, variety and superior clay court experience helped Mathieu win the first set 6-1. Johansson - a former Australian Open champion - had little or no chance to settle, as Mathieu secured yet another vital break of serve to win a more hard-fought second set 6-4. Buoyed by the massive home crowd, the Frenchman appeared to be coasting to victory. But Mathieu failed to convert two match points in the third set at 5-4 up - and Johansson, amazingly, went on to break serve twice and win the third set 7-6. Despite trailing 4-2 in the fourth set, Mathieu suddenly picked himself up to take four games in succession and finish Johansson off in three hours and 38 minutes to delight the crowd and win the first round tie 3-2 for France. (AP)