South Africa Advances

Wayne Ferreira won his match, then South Africa claimed its first Davis Cup world group victory since 1979 because Australian Mark Woodforde forfeited his match due of exhaustion.

His resignation sparked a raucous celebration by South Africa, the 1974 Davis Cup champion playing its first world group match since being banned 16 years ago because of apartheid.

South Africa, a 3-2 winner, faces Russia next month in a world group quarterfinal.

With his team trailing 2-1 at the start of play in the rain-delayed event, Ferreira, the world’s 11th-ranked singles player, defeated Australia’s Patrick Rafter 6-2, 3-6, 6-4, 6-2.