RAMAT HASHARON, Israel - Vasek Pospisil has carried Canada's Davis Cup team into the elite World Group.
Vancouver's Pospisil finished the weekend undefeated after a 6-2, 7-6 (3), 6-4 victory over Israel's Amir Weintraub in the deciding match Sunday of the World Group playoff tie.
The win moves Canada into the 16-country elite tier in 2012 for the first time since 2004.
Israel's Dudi Sela defeated Peter Polansky 6-3, 6-3, 6-3 earlier in the day to tie the series 2-2 and set up Pospisil's finale.
The 21-year-old Pospisil won Canada's singles opener Friday -- a five-hour marathon against Sela -- and took the doubles match with Toronto veteran Daniel Nestor on Saturday.
The last Canadian to win three rubbers in a tie was Nestor in 2000.
Pospisil, ranked No. 124 in the world, opened the match showing no fatigue as he broke to go up 2-0, served seven aces and speeded to a 6-2 set finish in under 30 minutes.
The No. 182-ranked Weintraub broke back to make it 3-2 in the second, then battled Pospisil through five break points threats before taking a two-game lead.
Pospisil evened the set with a backhand winner down the line and served his way to a 6-5 lead with a pair of aces. He won the tiebreaker with a blistering forehand winner from out of position that left Weintraub stunned.
Weintraub held for a 4-3 lead in the third when Pospisil failed to convert on a double break opportunity.
But Pospisil made no mistake with a triple break point to go up 6-5, giving him a chance to serve for the match and give Canada the win.
His match point winner was an incredible forehand shot while scrambling from corner to corner. He collapsed on the court and was mobbed by his Canadian teammates.
Pospisil finishes the match with a dominating 27 aces.
Polansky was playing in place of fellow Thornhill, Ont., native Milos Raonic who was forced to pull out of the tournament.
Raonic, Canada's top-ranked player, was still feeling the effects of a bout of food poisoning from earlier in the week, as well as playing his first match in three months after injuring his hip in June.
Raonic's return to tennis was a 5-7, 7-5, 6-3, 6-1 loss to Weintraub which gave Canada a split on the first day.
Israel remains in its zonal group for next year's competition.
