For the third consecutive year Thailand has booked a spot in the Davis Cup World Group Play-off after they tamed visitors Uzbekistan 3-0 in the qualifying zone Asia/Oceania Group I tie yesterday.

That was when twin brothers Sonchat and Sanchai Ratiwatana showed their doubles supremacy to beat Vadim Kutsenko and Murad Inoyatov 6-2 6-2 6-7 (2-7) 6-2 in just over two hours in the doubles rubber before a small crowd at the BEC-Tero Hall.

Thailand held a 2-0 lead yesterday when Paradorn Srichaphan shrugged off a rusty start to beat Dmitri Mazur 4-6 7-5 7-5 6-3 and Danai Udomchoke trounced Kutsenko 7-6 (7-4) 6-4 6-3 in the singles rubbers. The triumph of the local side means Thailand will play the World Group Play-off in September again for the third consecutive year. Thailand’s non-playing captain could not stop smiling at achieving his target regardless of the results of today’s reverse singles.

“As I mentioned from the beginning, the twins are good doubles players. They played just like I expected them to and even though it ended in four sets, it was a perfect job for them,’’ Chanachai Srichaphan said.

The Ratiwatana brothers have reaped seven trophies, including two in the challenger series. They won in Busan just a week ago and made it clear to all why they have risen to No 190 in the world.

“We played up to our standard and didn’t lose our service game throughout the match. But we were a little too careful in the third set and they played good as well,’’ said Sonchat, who was making only his second appearance in the Davis Cup.

For the Uzbek tourists, they have gone down to Thailand three years in a row. Non-playing captain Aleksey Yolkhin, who is a man of few words, was magnanimous in defeat and had only good things to say about the Thai team. “It is a very good match for the Thai players. I would like to congratulate Thailand for winning the tie,” he said.

Throughout the match, few opportunities were given to the Uzbek players until in the third set tie-break. The twins, who normally take full charge with fast movement and sharp net play, collapsed in the last stage of the set. Other than that, Kutsenko and Inoyatov were outclassed.

“They play together all the time. They are confident because they just won in Busan,’’ the youthful Inoyatov said.

There is still the dark side of this early win as fans will not witness their hero Paradorn and his No 2 fellow countryman Danai in action in today’s reverse singles.