Another chance to break back into the Davis Cup elite beckons Australia after grabbing an unbeatable 3-0 lead over South Korea in Brisbane on Saturday.

But it is a task that will be easier said than done judging by another unconvincing performance in their Asia-Oceania second round tie against unheralded opponents.

For the third straight year, Australia have earned a World Group playoff shot in September after doubles combination Chris Guccione and Marinko Matosevic downed Suk-Young Jeong and Jae-Min Seol 4-6 6-1 6-4 6-2.

The playoff draw is expected to be held next week.

However, it remains to be seen whether the 28-time winners will end a five-year drought and return to the elite 16-team group this year after another wobbly display in Brisbane.

On paper, South Korea fielded a lowly doubles line-up – Jeong is ranked 764th in the world and Seol equal 1173rd.

After surprisingly overlooking world No.79 doubles player Matthew Ebden, Australian captain Patrick Rafter would still have been quietly confident fielding Guccione (138th) and Matosevic (260th).

But just like the opening singles rubbers on Friday, South Korea shocked Australia early before going down swinging at Patrick Rafter Arena.

Nerves appeared to have got the better of Matosevic – playing in his first live rubber – as the world No.122 singles player made unforced error after another.

He was broken in his first game on serve and made enough mistakes to ensure Guccione suffered the same fate as they trailed 4-1 in the opening set.

They broke back but could not stop South Korea surprisingly grabbing the first set in just under an hour.

The Aussie pair looked to have finally clicked when they tore through the second in barely 30 minutes but South Korea’s plucky resistance resumed.

South Korea got a break back in the third when Matosevic again failed to hold his serve but Australia held on to take a two sets to one lead.

Finally, South Korea waned in the fourth as Australia raced to victory.

While world No.18 Australia were without Lleyton Hewitt (toe) in Brisbane, Rafter would be forgiven for being concerned ahead of the World Group playoff.

Australia still boasted Wimbledon quarter-finalist Bernard Tomic and in-form world No.75 Ebden yet still battled against a depleted South Korea.

World No.31 South Korea left out their six top-ranked players for the Brisbane tie after reportedly falling out with their federation.

Reverse singles will be played on Sunday.