RAMAT HASHARON, Israel - Vasek Pospisil and Toronto veteran Daniel Nestor pulled Canada ahead 2-1 at the Davis Cup World Group playoff series against Israel with a 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 doubles victory over Jonathan Erlich and Andy Ram on Saturday.
After splitting the first two sets, Canada pulled ahead with a break in the third to go up 5-4 before serving out the set.
Erlich struggled with his serve in the fourth set and Canada broke on a doubled fault for a 4-3 lead. It was his fifth double fault of the set.
Nestor then held serve at love to give Canada a chance to break for the match, but Israel staved off the threat to make it 5-4.
Serving on Canada's fifth match point opportunity, Pospisil served the winner as Ram returned long and silenced the highly-vocal audience.
Vancouver's Pospisil was coming off a gruelling five-hour victory Friday against Dudi Sela in Friday's singles opener.
Canada split the first day of the weekend series after Milos Raonic was defeated by Amir Weintraub. It was the Thornhill, Ont., native's first match since injuring himself at Wimbledon in June.
A win over Israel moves Canada into the 16-country elite World Group in 2012. The loser will remain in its zonal group for next year's competition.
The tie concludes Sunday with Raonic versus Sela and Pospisil versus Weintraub.
